November 17 is the day of premature babies around the world.
The theme of this year’s day is the promotion of skin-to-skin contact. This contact is an extremely useful and effective practice, especially important in the case of premature babies. After all, started immediately after birth, this practice helps support breastfeeding and stabilize vital parameters, such as heart rate and blood glucose levels. It is also a mandatory recommendation to educate parents so that the care of babies born prematurely is correct.
As reported in the Lviv Regional Clinical Perinatal Center, since the beginning of the year, 866 children were born prematurely in the Lviv region. 30 of them died (23 children from this number were born weighing less than 1 kg). It should be noted that children who were born between the 22nd and 37th week of pregnancy are considered premature.
“We love our children from the moment they are born. But this day reminds us of children born too early and highlights their health problems. These babies need a lot of support, because they have already shown the courage to face the life that awaits them earlier. Each premature child, this is their uniqueness, despite the difficulties and obstacles is a new test for parents, but is also the desired ray of happiness and warmth. We are also working to ensure that medical care for children meets European standards,” said Orest Chemerys, director of the health care department of Lviv OVA.
Specialists of the Neonatal Center of the Lviv Regional Clinical Hospital understand that every premature baby has its own story, because such children have been cared for here since 1977. Since then, more than 20,000 such babies have been given a second life within the walls of this hospital, among which hundreds were very tiny, having a body weight at birth of less than 1000 g. These children need special conditions, as well as care, treatment and care after birth. Before the war, the Center trained about 800 such children a year, but now there are more.
In the Lviv Regional Clinical Perinatal Center, one of the main priorities is effective medical care for prematurely born children.
“From today, it became possible to transport women in a hurry from other maternity hospitals of Lviv region to the perinatal center. Every premature baby, regardless of gestational age and body weight, has the right to quality medical care and care until discharge. For the smallest patients weighing 500 g or more, our center becomes a real home with everything you need. Several weeks or even months spent in our neonatology departments lay the foundation for a healthy future of prematurely born children,” says Maria Malachynska, director of the perinatal center.
They are in a hurry to be born and they need special care, care and medical assistance, so they often start their life journey in a hurry in the intensive care units of children’s hospitals. Lviv Regional Children’s Clinical Hospital “Okhmatdyt” also leaves in a hurry. And thanks to the help of many benefactors and the Board of Trustees, it is possible to equip the department with the latest medical devices and medicines in order to provide even more quality care to the most precious.