Special care for premature babies: November 17th is World Prematurity Day

November 17 is World Prematurity Day, on which occasion since 2020, for the 5th year this year, Pampers and Rossmann are re-announcing their joint program to support premature babies. As part of the initiative, in cooperation with the National Association for Premature Babies (KORE), the manufacturer supplies the premature intensive care units of Hungarian hospitals with special diapers that are not commercially available, which greatly contribute to the sensitive everyday lives of premature babies. No small names have joined the program, such as Alexandra Borbély, Zita Annoni, Karin Dragos and Juca Csíkos.

What does prematurity mean?

If we take the definition of the World Health Organization (WHO) as a basis, babies born before the 37th week of pregnancy are considered premature babies. This results in most of them having a birth weight of less than 2500 grams and depending on the time of premature birth, some of their organs may still be immature.

In 2023, 7.7% of the more than 85,000 newborns born in Hungary (approximately 6500 babies)[1] weighed less than 2500 grams. Fortunately, many of them are born just a few weeks early and do not develop serious problems, but many babies are born not weeks but months before their due date, which can pose serious risks to their further development and quality of life.

Due to the immaturity of the lungs, brain, digestive and immune systems, many of them also need respiratory and circulatory support, artificial nutrition and various drug treatments. They usually spend the first few weeks after birth in an incubator, with careful nursing and professional medical care, and a multitude of devices on their bodies to monitor their circulation and help them survive. The incubator not only provides them with the right temperature, but also prevents the babies’ bodies from drying out with its humid air. The skin of premature babies is thinner and more sensitive than that of babies born at normal term, and for such little ones, even the slightest touch means the world to them.