Care and treatment for premature babies

Premature babies are those born before 37 weeks of gestation. Compared to full-term babies, premature babies often face more serious health risks, which can last a lifetime. Medical experts advise mothers to understand the causes of threatened premature birth in order to prevent it, and to know how to properly care for and treat premature babies.

Premature babies are cared for at Quang Ninh Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital.

In September 2024, doctors at Quang Ninh Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital assisted in the delivery of a baby for a pregnant woman, PTQ (from Cam Pha City), who was 24 weeks and 4 days pregnant. After birth, the baby showed no reflexes and experienced cardiac and respiratory arrest; immediate resuscitation and chest compressions were administered. The baby's heartbeat returned, and the baby was immediately transferred to the Neonatal Department of the hospital for emergency care and treatment.

The extremely premature newborn girl, weighing only 600g at birth, was constantly in critical condition and threatened with death. For over four months of care and treatment in the Neonatal Unit, she received lung maturation medication, was placed in an incubator, ventilated, had her body temperature and infection controlled, and received intensive care. She was nourished intravenously for many days, combined with Kangaroo care (skin-to-skin contact).

This is one of the cases of premature babies successfully treated by doctors at Quang Ninh Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital. After more than 4 months of treatment, the baby's health has stabilized, and both weight and height have increased, from 600g to 2.3kg and 46cm in length. The baby will be discharged from the hospital in early 2025.

Dr. Nguyen Thu Ha, Head of the Neonatal Department (Quang Ninh Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital), said: The hospital has implemented many modern care and treatment techniques for premature and low-birth-weight infants, such as incubator care, phototherapy for jaundice, advanced techniques like mechanical ventilation, intravenous feeding, umbilical cord catheterization - central venous catheter, longline catheterization, surfactant administration, and the Kangaroo method for skin-to-skin contact between mother and child… Thanks to these efforts, many extremely premature babies have been successfully treated and are in stable health.

Doctors at the Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital provide healthcare for women during pregnancy.

For premature babies, breast milk plays a crucial role. Breast milk is not simply nutrition; it's vital for the baby's survival. Premature, low-birth-weight babies who are fed formula have a very high risk of developing necrotizing enterocolitis. Infants with necrotizing enterocolitis who require surgery have a significantly reduced chance of survival. Post-surgery, they may also suffer from complications such as infection, short bowel syndrome, malabsorption, and malnutrition.

The breast milk bank at Quang Ninh Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital, launched in July 2020, has provided a valuable source of breast milk for newborns, especially premature and sick newborns. Over the past five years, the breast milk bank has received more than 6,000 liters of donated milk from over 200 mothers, of which over 5,600 liters of pasteurized milk meeting standards have been screened and provided to more than 22,000 newborns at the hospital. The rigorous milk selection processes and modern breast milk storage and processing equipment ensure that sick infants, newborns unable to breastfeed, premature or underweight newborns, or those whose mothers are ill or whose milk production is not yet complete, can access safe donated breast milk, helping to boost their immunity and reduce the risk of enteritis and other infections.

To reduce the risk of premature birth, doctors recommend that pregnant women take proper care of themselves by maintaining a balanced and healthy diet, living in a healthy environment, and minimizing stress. Mothers should eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, drink plenty of water, and avoid excessive weight gain. Regular monthly prenatal checkups are especially important so that doctors can monitor their physical and mental health and provide better guidance on how to care for themselves.

Van Anh

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/cham-care-treatment-for-premature-birth-3371613.html