World Prematurity Day marked at Telford hospital

World Prematurity Day, marked on November 17 each year, raises awareness of preterm birth and the concerns of preterm babies and their families worldwide.

Preterm birth, also known as premature birth, is the birth of a baby before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy.

Volunteers from Bliss, in conjunction with the neonatal unit, held a cake sale, raffle and tombola at PRH on Friday to raise money for the charity.

Parents whose babies were born prematurely were also at the hospital to help raise awareness.

Ify Nwachukwu, 33, of Priorslee, gave birth to her daughter Kaeto at PRH 11 weeks early.

Kaeto, who is now two-and-a-half, weighed just 1,290 grams at birth and had to stay in hospital for 73 days.

Mrs Nwachukwu said: "I could fit her in my hands.

"I was shocked because I had already had two full-term babies.

"I was taught how to bath and feed her and had amazing support."

Sophialillie Degg was born at PRH in September last year, being delivered 13 weeks early and weighing 2lbs 8oz.

Her mother Cecelia Degg, 32, of Newport, said: "It was scary. My waters went a week before and I was in hospital a week before I had her.

"She's doing really well now." Chloe Parton, 23, of Shrewsbury, also visited the hospital to support the awareness campaign.

Her son Oliver Guy, now 13-months-old, was born at PRH via caesarean section.

Miss Parton was just over 30 weeks pregnant and Oliver weighed 1lb 15oz.

Her eldest son Alfie Guy, now aged three, was also born prematurely at 35 weeks.

She said: "It was very traumatic but the care I received was amazing.

"World Prematurity Day is great for raising awareness. A lot of people don't understand what it means to have a premature baby and what prematurity is."

Sister Frances Davies, who works on the neonatal unit at PRH, said: "Premature babies can lead normal lives afterwards and it's such a joy to see the babies when they bring them back to see us. It makes the job so worthwhile."

Bliss estimates that about 60,000 babies are born prematurely in the UK every year.

It accounts for one in every 13 babies born in the UK.

For more information about Bliss visit www.bliss.org.uk or call the helpline on 0808 801 0322.