Op-Ed: Death rates in premature babies

Over one million babies die each year due to being born too early. The stress, pain, emotional anxiety that goes with being the parent of a premature baby is intense.

Over one million babies die globally each year due to being born prematurely reported a recent press release from White Paper. In 2005 the document reports that almost 13 million infants were born before their due date. This report was based on the fact that birth was classified at 37 full weeks of gestation or under. This number works out at nearly 10 percent of all births globally. Preterm birth figures were higher globally in Africa with the second highest in North America (US and Canada), reports the White Paper. This figure is astonishing for Women all over the world especially those that fall into the number of premature mother's. It suddenly becomes a case of no longer being alone, but knowing that there is a large number of mother's who face similar problems. Being a mother of a premature baby can cause intense emotional worry, stress and feelings of helplessness. Watching a baby undergo specialist care is an extra burden on a family and stress can be over bearing. Jennifer L. Howse who is a doctor and president of March Dimes reports, that "premature birth is a massive worldwide issue placing a large strain emotionally, physically and financially on not just families, but medical care and the financial economy." Whilst cost might be an issue for medical specialists, it is often the families that find it the most troublesome. Finding special clothes that fit, sourcing the cost of medical care and purchasing special equipment for the home can be a huge difficulty for many families with premature children. Though many premature babies go on to live very fulfilling and healthy lives.