'Premature birth rate on the increase in Türkiye'

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"Fifteen out of every 100 babies are born premature," said Prof. Dr. Betül Acunaş, and that "the rate of premature births is increasing in Türkiye" in an event organized today (November 17) on the occasion of World Prematurity Day.

This rate has been on the increase in the country, Prof. Betül Acunaş said at an event organized at the Trakya University Faculty of Medicine.

Acunaş explained that babies born without completing the 37th gestational week were defined as premature and that the earlier the baby was born, the more problems occurred. She also said that World Prematurity Day is an important awareness day in order to understand the preterm birts and the process that follows it.

Prof. Acunaş said that babies born premature hold on to life after a very difficult period. She also underlined that rate of premature births was increasing.

She then went on to say, "Fifteen of every 100 babies are born premature in Türkiye, and this rate is increasing from year to year. It was at around 11 percent, and it has become 15 percent today. This is because assisted reproduction techniques, techniques such as test tube babies, are developing every day. Premature birth is today the most significant cause of infant deaths. Our threshold for survival is 23 weeks, and the group with the highest risk is that of babies born before 32 weeks. The risk is greater for babies born before 30 weeks."

Prof. Dr. Acunaş also added that the present illnesses of the mother increased the risk of premature birth and also did smoking during pregnancy. (AÖ/PE/VK)