Irish Premature Babies Releases

The second of May 2012 saw the long waited publication of “Born too soon” the global action report on preterm birth. This report provides the very first national, regional and global estimates of preterm births.

Preterm birth is now the second biggest killer of children globally under five after pneumonia. The report also highlighted that the rate of preterm birth is on the increase. One in ten babies are now born preterm in the world. More than one million of those babies die shortly after birth, countless others suffer some type of lifelong physical, neurological, or educational disability, often at great cost to families and society.

The report also emphasized the need for governments, charities and business communities to work together to propose actions for policy, and programmes for change, as well as  research that will help substantially reduce not just the preterm birth rate but help reduce the death rates and long term complications associated with premature birth. At the moment preterm births  been an overlooked and neglected problem according to the report.  

                                                                                                                                                                  The report really highlights the need for change and for more importance to be placed on the problems of preterm birth says Allison Fegan Molloy, Chairperson for Irish Premature Babies." The preterm birth is increasing in Ireland but our statistics are more favourable than the worldwide average, one in 16 births in Ireland are premature, which means every 116 minutes a baby is born prematurely in Ireland. It is very shocking to read that over 15 million babies are born preterm every year. This is extremely disturbing and the International community’s really need to address this issue, as a matter of urgency. Our charity advocates for a change in policy in neonatal care across Ireland and we will continue to promote the recommendations of Ireland’s first benchmarking report published in conjunction with the charity last November on the burden of preterm birth in Ireland. Over 4500 families are still affected by premature birth in Ireland each year and we will like to see that number decrease." states Allison.

 For further information please see www.irishprematurebabies.com

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 Contact : Irene Dowling  086 1082545,  Emma Smith 087 1342992