A Neonatologist, Dr Efunbo Dosekun on Sunday urged intending mothers to adopt preventative medical approaches to prevent them from giving birth to preterm babies.
Dosekun, the co-Founder of Babies Matter Medical Centre (BMMC), a subsidiary of Outreach Signature Hospitals, spoke on Sunday.
Dosekun noted that healthy nutrition, intake of folic acid, prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, prevention of hepatitis B and C and others were some of necessary preventive measures needed to reduce preterm births.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Preterms are babies born alive before 37 weeks of pregnancy are completed, and there are sub-categories of preterm birth, based on gestational age.
Preterm birth remains a leading cause of death for children under five, and many who survive could face lifelong disabilities due to inadequate healthcare.
She said:” We all know that a premature baby is a baby that’s born before 36 completed weeks.
“But the babies that really give a lot of problems are the babies that are less than 32 weeks.
“Intending mothers must put on a preventative hat or approach and this starts from even before you get pregnant.
“Outside the country, once you are 18 years of age, you are encouraged to start taking folic acid.
“Intake of folic acid helps to prevent a condition called spinal bifida.
“Spinal bifida is an abnormality in in the spinal cord of a baby that leads to so many complications including death and chronic disability”.
Dosekun said that intending mothers and pregnant women must also take the right nutrition and prevent infection like STDs and viral condition.
She advised that women with health conditions, genetic problems, hypertension and other conditions must ensure they had access to specialists.
The neonatalogist, however, urged government to create a model of good practice to increase the survival rate of preterm babies in the country.
“Worldwide, care of a pre-term baby is very difficult but there are some steps that advanced countries have taken to increase the survival chances for premature babies, particularly babies less than 32 weeks.
“These babies don’t need to die if we do the right thing in the country and that is why we are so passionate about what we are doing at BBMC and to also increase the faith of Nigerians on our health system.
“We interface with doctors, government and our the community to change the narrative on how to care for preterm babies,” Dosekun said.
NAN
