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Premature birth
is the second-greatest killer of babies worldwide, after pneumonia. A report
called "Born Too Soon" says one in ten babies throughout the world is born
before the 37th week of pregnancy. As a midwife, Carole Presern assists women
who are giving birth. She also has seen newborns die. CAROLE PRESERN,
PARTNERSHIP FOR MATERNAL, NEWBORN AND CHILD HEALTH: "It's a devastating
experience. And it touches you. You remember people's faces." Carole Presern
works for the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health. She says much
can be done to prevent premature births. CAROLE PRESERN: "You make sure people
are not having their babies too young. You make sure if they have pre-existing
conditions, like if they're too underweight, which is quite common in the
developing world, as you'd know. You've got to also look at if somebody's had a
history of preterm birth. They need much more attention. You want to look at the
spacing between births. So you don't want people having their children too fast
because that can lead to prematurity." There are simple things that can help a
premature baby survive. CAROLE PRESERN: "You can give the mother steroids before
the baby is born. That helps the lungs to mature. That's a very cheap, very
cost-effective intervention." After birth, the baby can be placed on the chest
of the mother. This "kangaroo care" method keeps the baby warm. Dr. Joy Lawn
works for Save the Children. DR. JOY LAWN "Kangaroo mother care, even compared
to care in an incubator, halves the risk of death." The report says the number
of premature births is increasing in both wealthy and developing countries.
Christopher Howson is with the March of Dimes. CHRISTOPHER HOWSON "Over 60
percent of preterm births occur in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia." Where
ever a baby is born, the child can have health problems if the birth happens
even a few weeks early. Experts say they want to better understand why babies
are born early, how to reduce the number of premature births, and how to help
premature babies survive. I'm Shirley Griffith.
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