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10% of Babies Are Premature, Taxing World's Health System

Of 13 million preemies, 1 million die before surviving 1 month

By M. Morris,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 4, 2009 5:29 PM CDT

(Newser) – Nearly 10% of babies born each year worldwide arrive prematurely, and the stress of caring for them "is exacting a huge toll emotionally, physically and financially on families, medical systems and economies," the March of Dimes said today. Some 13 million babies are preemies, and more than 1 million of them live less than a month. The problem overwhelmingly affects Africa, where 12% of births are early, followed by North America and  Asia.

"We need to know more about the underlying causes of premature birth in order to develop effective prevention strategies," says a March of Dimes exec. Driving up North America's numbers is the fact that the rates of premature birth in the US have soared, thanks in part to increased use of technologies that result in multiple births, HealthDay News reports.
Berselia Hernandez Chavarri, a 7-day-old premature baby girl, lies in an incubator as her mother Sonia Chavarri looks on in Trujillo, Peru, April 26, 2009.
Berselia Hernandez Chavarri, a 7-day-old premature baby girl, lies in an incubator as her mother Sonia Chavarri looks on in Trujillo, Peru, April 26, 2009.   (AP Photo/Karel Navarro)
Berselia Hernandez Chavarri, 1 week old, lies in an incubator as her mother, Sonia Chavarri, touches her hand at a hospital in Trujillo, Peru, April 26, 2009. Berselia weighed 15.87 ounces at birth.
Berselia Hernandez Chavarri, 1 week old, lies in an incubator as her mother, Sonia Chavarri, touches her hand at a hospital in Trujillo, Peru, April 26, 2009. Berselia weighed 15.87 ounces at birth.   (AP Photo/Karel Navarro)
Mohammed Khamis, a newborn septuplet, is seen inside an incubator at a hospital in Alexandria, Egypt, Aug. 18, 2008.
Mohammed Khamis, a newborn septuplet, is seen inside an incubator at a hospital in Alexandria, Egypt, Aug. 18, 2008.   (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 28 comments
Hip
Oct 5, 2009 12:46 PM CDT
Jaysterupsidedown666, worry less about the constitution and more about fixing a broken health care system. Worry more about the people that are dying or losing their life savings because of hospital bills. Worry more about having polite discussions without swearing and less about educating people. Worry less about the evil government and more about the evil insurance companies that are coming after YOU!
Thinker
Oct 5, 2009 11:53 AM CDT
Proud-Prude, you don't change a church because you don't agree with something, you stop being a member. When people see that the Catholic church is really a vehicle by which to control people and get rich, they will stop wasting their time with it and evolve. Churches are not democracies.
Riffran
Oct 5, 2009 10:33 AM CDT
NO ARGUEMENT HERE..Armywife...I think you are 100% spot on...

 
Africa • Asia • United States • public health • birth rate • preemies • North America • March of Dimes • premature birth • premature baby • preterm birth rate

 
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