Premature births | Western Cape Government

Premature births

Preterm is defined as babies who are born alive before the expected pregnancy term of 37 weeks have been completed. There are sub-categories of preterm birth, based on gestational age: 

  • Extremely preterm (< 28 weeks)
  • Very preterm (28 to < 32 weeks)
  • Moderate to late preterm (32 to < 37 weeks)

Little hand of premature babyPreterm birth occur for a variety of reasons. Most preterm births happen spontaneously, but some are due to early induction of labour or caesarean birth, whether for medical or non-medical reasons.

Common risk factors of preterm birth include:

  • having a previous premature birth,
  • multiple miscarriages or abortions,
  • pregnancy with twins, triplets or other multiples,
  • poor nutrition,
  • not gaining enough weight during pregnancy,
  • some infections, particularly of the amniotic fluid and lower genital tract, and
  • chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure,
  • being underweight or overweight before pregnancy, and
  • physical injury or trauma.

There could also be a genetic influence. Better understanding of the causes and  mechanisms will advance the development of solutions to prevent preterm birth.

Unique milestones for premature babies

Premature babies are very special to care for because, as the days pass, you’re getting closer to the date your baby was due, known as the due date.  Once you reach the due date, your baby will be much closer to a normal size and weight.

Incubators are like medical wombs for premature babies and you’ll see, as the weeks pass, your baby become a full-term baby ready to go home.

Even though your baby has to spend time in Neonatal Intensive Care unit (NICU), there’ll  be things to celebrate such as the very first time you get to hold your baby. Moving from the incubator to a regular crib is a huge milestone because it means your baby is finally regulating their own temperature and no longer needs to be so isolated.


Ensuring a healthy pregnancy and infancy for your child

Your child’s health is most vulnerable during the first 1 000 days of its life. We believe that the first 1 000 days in a child’s development, starting from conception, moving through pregnancy, birth, and after the first 2 years of life, are crucial for securing a child’s bright future.

“We also believe that the healthy early development of a child, and the well-being of the mother, is the responsibility of the community. It takes the whole village to raise a healthy child,” said Minister Mbombo.

Research indicates that both the physical and mental development of infants develops rapidly during the 1 000 days period, and the right care and nutrition during this window period helps to:

  • develop their brains,
  • fuel their physical growth,
  • build up a strong immune system,
  • improve their school readiness and educational achievement, and
  • reduce their risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease later in life.

The 3 most important aspects of the first 1 000 days are:

  • Health and nutrition, which both mom and baby need (the things you eat and drink). It’s very important not to smoke, drink alcohol or do drugs if you may be expecting a baby or are currently breastfeeding. Kangaroo Care
  • Love and attention that your baby needs, and all the support that the mom needs. Both mom and baby need the support and love of fathers, families and the community. 
  • Play and stimulation, which your baby needs for learning as well as the protection of a safe environment – talk to baby, play with baby. Protect your baby from harm, stress and neglect. 

Kangaroo mother care

Kangaroo mother care is a method of care of preterm infants weighing less than 2 kg. It includes exclusive and frequent breastfeeding in addition to skin-to-skin contact and support for both mother and infant, and has been shown to reduce mortality in hospital-based studies in low- and middle-income countries.

Its key features are:

  • early, continuous and prolonged skin-to-skin contact between the mother and the baby,
  • exclusive breastfeeding (ideally),
  • it’s initiated in hospital and can be continued at home,
  • small babies can be discharged early,
  • mothers at home require adequate support and follow-up, and
  • it’s a gentle, effective method that avoids the agitation routinely experienced in a busy ward with preterm infants.

Kangaroo care can help your baby:

  • Maintain their body warmth.
  • Regulate their heart and breathing rates.
  • Gain weight.
  • Spend more time in deep sleep.
  • Spend more time being quiet and alert and less time crying.
  • Have a better chance of successful breastfeeding (Kangaroo care can also improve a mother's breast milk production).

Best care – always

Sister Jenkins

Nurse Arina Jenkins from Bellville is a professional nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit at Tygerberg Hospital and she’s the sole driver and nursing champion in the implementation of an infection control quality improvement initiative known as the “Best Care – Always” (BCA).

The initiative is all about reducing the number of life-threatening Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (CLABSI) cases and is the first initiative of its kind in a public sector Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in South Africa.

She passionately advocates for compliance to best practices and evidence-based interventions to prevent life-threatening CLABSI in critically ill, often premature, neonates by sharing best practices with other hospitals and provinces in a quest to reduce neonatal mortality, goal 4 of the Millennium Development Goals.

Through her work, the CLABSI rate at the hospital has significantly been reduced.


Little fighters who beat the odds

The content on this page was last updated on 6 December 2016