Life Roseacres Hospital honours World Prematurity Day
The hospital invited former preterm infants, affectionately called “premmie warriors” and their families to celebrate milestones and inspire new mothers at an event it hosted.
The Life Roseacres Hospital commemorated World Prematurity Day on November 15, focusing on raising awareness about the challenges prematurely born infants and their families face.
The theme for this year is ‘Over 13 million babies are born prematurely every year.
Access to quality care everywhere’. It emphasises the importance of providing consistent, high-quality care to preterm infants worldwide.
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The hospital invited former preterm infants, affectionately called “premmie warriors” and their families to celebrate milestones and inspire new mothers at an event it hosted.
Dr Hassina Ebrahim, a specialist paediatrician at the hospital, spoke about preterm babies’ unique challenges and offered guidance for parents.
Ebrahim explained that preterm births fall into three categories based on gestational age:
Extreme preterm: Less than 28 weeks.
Very preterm: 28 to less than 32 weeks.
Moderate preterm: 32 to 37 weeks.
She highlighted the challenges preterm infants face, particularly their lack of essential minerals like calcium and phosphorus, which are transferred to babies during the final weeks of pregnancy to support bone growth.
Premature babies often lose more minerals through urine and need specialised care to address the deficiencies.
“Preterm birth can occur for various reasons. Some are spontaneous, while others result from medical complications like infections or chronic conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure. Sometimes, no specific cause is identified, though genetic factors may play a role,” Ebrahim noted.
She stressed the importance of educating families and communities.
“Having a premmie is a long journey. Many families might not know how to support parents, but education and awareness can make a significant difference.”
A family’s journey with their premmie warrior
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The Germiston City News spoke with Makie Mohomane and Pascal Kongolo, whose daughter, Ilunga, was born prematurely and is now a thriving seven-year-old.
“The journey was not easy,” Makie shared.
“As a mother, I was scared and worried, especially seeing my baby so tiny. It was overwhelming.”
With the support of her husband, Pascal, the family navigated the challenges together.
“I visited her daily, doing skin-to-skin contact while her mother recovered. It was tough, but keeping a positive mindset made all the difference,” Pascal said.
The couple reflected on the financial strain of prolonged hospital stays and the meticulous preparation required to bring a premmie home.
“The environment needs to be perfect for the baby, and that takes time and resources,” Pascal said.
The family credited the hospital staff for providing essential guidance and care.
“Having doctors and nurses who support the baby and the family is crucial and Life Roseacres did that for us,” he said.
The event underscored the hospital’s commitment to raising awareness and fostering a supportive community for families of preterm infants.
