The Right to a Miracle Foundation told about the difficulties of caring for premature babies

The premature birth of a child becomes a challenge for the whole family, and the necessary help is not limited to hospital treatment. Natalia Zotkina, founder and director of the charity foundation for premature babies "The Right to a Miracle", told Izvestia on November 15 about the difficulties of parents and areas of support.

According to the Russian Ministry of Health, about 6% of children are born prematurely in the country. In 2024, 71,405 premature babies were born alive. Babies born before the 37th week of pregnancy are considered premature.

Prematurity itself is not a disease. Many of these children subsequently do not experience serious health problems. However, with an earlier birth, the likelihood of complications increases due to the immaturity of organs and systems. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia, retinopathy of prematurity, hearing disorders, neurological complications, nutritional difficulties and delays in motor or speech development are possible. In severe cases, persistent disorders occur, including cerebral palsy. Therefore, after discharge, it is important to maintain the supervision of specialists and carry out the necessary examinations on time.

The Right to a Miracle Foundation has been supporting families for more than ten years. There are 80 schools in 57 regions where medical specialists explain to parents how to take care of children. The 24-hour hotline provides consultations with doctors, psychologists and lawyers. As part of the Mom Helps Mom program, families receive support from parents who have experienced premature birth themselves and have received special training. The foundation also provides oxygen equipment for children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia to continue their treatment at home.

According to Zotkina, it is necessary to study in more detail how the development of premature babies develops after years. Such data will help to better identify their needs and improve medical and social support programs. Another task is to keep the family connected during prolonged hospitalization. About 69% of the study participants said that other relatives could not visit the child in the pathology department. For 44% of women, communication with loved ones was limited to telephone conversations. Taking into account medical and sanitary requirements, it is important to look for opportunities for family communication and more active participation of fathers in care.

Equally important is the psychological support of doctors and nurses. Neonatal unit staff face high responsibility and emotional stress on a daily basis. Taking care of their condition also affects the quality of care for children and parents.

Zotkina considers a family-oriented approach to be a promising area: the participation of parents in feeding and caring, the use of the kangaroo method, an accessible explanation of the child's condition and psychological assistance. For its development, joint training, support for the initiatives of medical professionals, clear recommendations and ways to evaluate the results are needed. The foundation is working on these tasks together with the professional community.

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In October, Russian Minister of Health Mikhail Murashko noted that safe childbirth in Russia is provided by a unified system of care from pregnancy planning to newborn monitoring. According to the minister, they are trying to standardize care for pregnant women everywhere. It begins before conception, continues during pregnancy and childbirth, and then proceeds to follow the child.