There are times when appointments are postponed or cancelled. This makes some people fret if not furious. But there are times also that such postponement or cancellation is a blessing in disguise.
It happened to me recently when a person I was supposed to interview cancelled our meeting due to some unavoidable circumstances. Instead of getting infuriated, I welcomed it with gladness since I can now attend the birthday party of my niece who would turn three.
While having fun with my siblings, nieces and nephews, and other guests who attended the birthday party, I was saddened by the fact that not all children like my niece have the opportunity of having such a gaiety celebration. In fact, some of these children don’t make it at all.
A new report which we received recently said that one million tiny lives, who are born prematurely, die each year. This is equivalent to around one in 10 babies born early (before 37 weeks of pregnancy) around the globe.
In the Philippines, over 60,000 children die every year before their fifth birthday because of complications from premature birth, intrapartum complications, and infectious diseases. Over 25,000 are stillborn every year.
Almost 60% of Filipino children who die before their fifth birthday are newborns, said the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)-Philippines.
Born too soon: decade of action on preterm birth, produced by two United Nations agencies – UNICEF and World Health Organization (WHO) – in tandem with Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH), considered this situation as “silent emergency.”
According to the new report, this “silent emergency” of preterm birth has long been under-recognized in its scale and severity. As a result, the progress in improving children’s health and survival has been impeded.
The report includes updated estimates from WHO and UNICEF, prepared with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, on the prevalence of preterm births. Overall, it finds that preterm birth rates have not changed in any region in the world in the past decade, with 152 million vulnerable babies born too soon from 2010 to 2020.
“Preterm birth is now the leading cause of child deaths, accounting for more than 1 in 5 of all deaths of children occurring before their fifth birthday,” said a press release circulated by the WHO. “Preterm survivors can face lifelong health consequences, with an increased likelihood of disability and developmental delays.”
Too often, where babies are born determines if they survive. This means that if the baby is born in industrialized countries like the United States, Australia or any country in Europe, the baby is more likely to survive than a baby born in a developing country like the Philippines.
“It is grossly unjust that a child’s chances of survival can be shaped just by their place of birth, and that there are such vast inequities in their access to lifesaving health services,” deplored Dr. Anshu Banerjee, the Director for Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing at WHO.
The Born to soon “decade” report notes that only 1 in 10 extremely preterm babies (less than 28 weeks) survive in low-income countries, compared to more than 9 in 10 in high-income countries.
“Gaping inequalities related to race, ethnicity, income, and access to quality care determine the likelihood of preterm birth, death, and disability, even in high-income countries,” the press release said.
The report noted that Southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa have the highest rates of preterm birth. As such, preterm babies in these regions face the highest mortality risk. “Together, these two regions account for more than 65% of preterm births globally,” it said.
“Progress is flatlining for maternal and newborn health, as well as the prevention of stillbirths,” deplored Dr. Helga Fogstad, executive director of PMNCH, the world’s largest alliance for women, children, and adolescents.
Gains made are now being pushed back further through the devastating combination of COVID-19, climate change, expanding conflicts and rising living costs, she warned.
Air pollution, for example, is estimated to contribute to 6 million preterm births each year. Nearly 1 in 10 preterm babies are born in the 10 most fragile countries affected by humanitarian crises, according to a new analysis in the report.Maternal health risks, such as adolescent pregnancy and pre-eclampsia, are closely linked to preterm births. This underlines the need to ensure access to sexual and reproductive health services, including effective family planning, with high-quality care in pregnancy and around the time of birth.
Steven Lauwerier, Director of Health at UNICEF, noted that every preterm death created “a trail of loss and heartbreak.”
“Despite the many advances the world has made in the past decade, we have made no progress in reducing the number of small babies born too soon or averting the risk of their death. The toll is devastating. It’s time we improve access to care for pregnant mothers and preterm infants and ensure every child gets a healthy start and thrives in life,” Lauwerier said.
According to the report, a concerted action is needed to swiftly improve children’s health and survival.
“By working together in partnership – governments, donors, the private sector, civil society, parents, and health professionals – we can sound the alarm about this ‘silent emergency,’ and bring preterm prevention and care efforts to the forefront of national health and development efforts, building human capital by supporting families, societies and economies everywhere,” Dr. Fogstad said.
