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World Prematurity Day 2021: Know the history, theme and significance of this day
November 17 is celebrated as World Prematurity Day each year. This day highlights the difficulties associated with preterm birth and the health issues that premature babies face.
World Prematurity Day is observed on November 17 every year. It throws light on the challenges of preterm birth and the difficulties that a premature baby has to face. It also raises awareness about the care for such babies. Preterm birth is when the baby is born before 37 weeks of gestation period. It can cause serious health issues in the baby.
These issues may include infections, breathing problems, hearing problems, vision problems etc. Read on to know the history, significance of this day and the theme for this year.
History
World Prematurity Day was first observed on November 17, 2011. This day was created to promote awareness about the babies who were born prematurely and ways to care for them. It also focused on cost-effective solutions for premature births and on the need for developing compassion for such families.
Significance
Premature birth is referred to a baby that is born below 34 to 37 weeks of gestation. Such births carry high risks and can be life-threatening for the baby. They face challenges that affect their vision, hearing, lungs, brain, etc. World Prematurity Day is observed to raise consciousness about premature babies and the need to research for healthier babies.
Theme
The theme for World Prematurity Day this year is “Zero Separation Act now! Keep parents and babies born too soon together.”
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