Every year in Australia a staggering 26,000 babies are born prematurely (before 37 weeks' gestation). Raising awareness of the risks of prematurity and the ways to reduce the risk of premature birth is the first step in reducing the number of babies born prematurely and giving those who are, a better chance of survival. Worryingly, premature births have increased 0.4% between 2009 and 2019, although this is not evenly spread throughout Australian states.
Each year, Prematurity Awareness Month runs through November and aims to raise awareness of neonatal care and the life saving technology that is available, whilst celebrating babies both living and lost and their families who have been affected by prematurity. Purple is the official colour of Prematurity Awareness Month as it represents sensitivity.
World Prematurity Day also falls in November and is held on 17 November every year, creating global awareness of the issues and the people affected. The theme for 2022 is ‘A parents embrace: a powerful therapy. Enable skin-to-skin contact from the moment of birth’. Many landmarks around the world will be lighting up purple this year.
Running for Premature Babies support Prematurity Awareness Month and World Prematurity Day because:
- Preterm birth is the greatest worldwide cause of death and disability in children under 5 years of age
- 1 in 10 babies are born prematurely in Australia
- The 0.4% increase in Australian premature births means more specialised equipment is needed in order to help these babies survive
Worldwide, roughly 15 million babies are born prematurely every year
We will be celebrating all prematurely born babies both living and lost and hope that you will join us this November in our Premmie Marathon Challenge to continue to raise money for lifesaving neonatal equipment. Let's create a sea of purple on the streets and on social media.
The most fragile babies need access to the best possible equipment to give them a better chance of survival and quality of life.
For more detailed information, please see below
If you or someone you know have had a premature baby and need support, please see below
Preterm Infants Parents Association
This information has been reviewed by Neonatologist, Dr John Smyth.
Disclaimer: This information by Running for Premature Babies Foundation is educational and informative in nature and is not medical advice or a healthcare recommendation. For further information, please Contact Us.
