Too early is created by Odisee, University of Applied Sciences (with the support from Noah’s Ark Belgium) and aims to bundle information about prematurity in order to support parents of (former) preterm babies.
Too Early
The platform to support parents with a premature baby
What is prematurity?
A pregnancy normally lasts about 40 weeks. Babies born before 37 weeks of pregnancy are called premature. ‘Premature’ literally means ‘too early’.
Classification of prematurity
Premature babies are divided into different groups according to the length of the pregnancy.
< 28 weeks
Extremely preterm
28 - 31 weeks
Very preterm
32 - 33 weeks
Moderate preterm
34 - 36 weeks
Late preterm
8%
of all Belgian children are born prematurely
Each year, an estimated 15 million babies (or 1 in 10) are born prematurely worldwide. In Europe, the number of premature babies ranges from 5 to 12%, or about 500.000 babies per year. In Flandres, 8,1% of babies are born prematurely, in Brussels 7,2% and in Wallonia 8,2%. Prematurity is the main reason for admission to neonatal care, with one in three to four babies admitted to a neonatal unit due to being born too early.
What are the consequences of prematurity?
Complications resulting from prematurity are the leading cause of child mortality worldwide among children under five. The length of pregnancy has the greatest impact on the outcomes for premature babies. The earlier a baby is born, the lower the chances of survival and the higher the risk of complications and lasting effects for the child. Prematurity also affects parents emotionally, psychologically and financially, and it carries an economic and social cost for society.
Consequences for the child
Premature birth has short-term effects on the child, but it can also have a lasting impact on the life and health of the former preterm baby later in life. In the short term, complications may occur in the lungs, stomach, intestines and brain, as well as problems with feeding, hearing and vision. Premature birth is also associated with developmental and behavioral disorders, more frequent hospital admissions and more learning and socio-emotional difficulties during childhood.
Consequences for the parents
When a child is born prematurely, parents go through a difficult time. They find themselves on an emotional rollercoaster and experience feelings of stress, depression and anxiety.
Premature birth also has financial consequences for parents due to costs for hospitalization, medical consultations, medication, home care, childcare for siblings, transportation, special education or care in a facility etc. Parents may be forced to work less to care for their former preterm child, which leads to a loss of income. The impact of premature birth can therefore continue to be felt by parents for many years.
The platform ‘Too Early’ is created by Odisee, University of Applied Sciences with financial support from the PremaPlus Fund of the King Baudouin Foundation. The French translation is the result of a collaboration with Noah’s Ark Belgium.
With the support of our partners
