By Ana Quiroga and Guillermina Chattas, director and deputy director of the Neonatal Nursing Specialization Program, of the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences of the Universidad Austral.
The world has made substantial progress in newborn survival, with the number of neonatal deaths decreasing from 5 million in 1990 to 2.4 million in 2020. This is good news; however, the number of preterm births is on the rise.
In our country, prematurity is one of the leading causes of neonatal mortality. According to data from the National Ministry of Health published in 2022, deaths of babies weighing less than 2500 grams account for almost 60% of infant mortality. The distribution and frequency of these deaths is not equitable, as their occurrence depends on the place of birth: wealthier countries, with better distribution and more highly trained healthcare professionals, have fewer newborn deaths.
To raise awareness of this issue in society, the Ministry of Health, with support from UNICEF, established "Prematurity Awareness Week" and published, some time ago, the ten rights of premature infants. This year, the theme for the week is: "The family's embrace: a powerful therapy. In neonatal units, frequent skin-to-skin contact from the first hour of life." This slogan highlights the importance of parents as central to care and the effectiveness of skin-to-skin contact as a protective factor for the neurodevelopment of premature babies.
It is important to emphasize the implementation of parental presence in neonatal units, integrating them into the care of their children, with full access to information, treating them with respect and dignity, and having them help us improve the care process for these children.
The constant presence of family in the NICU fosters bonding through attachment behaviors. Every newborn should experience a continuous, intimate, and warm relationship with their mother or permanent caregiver, a relationship in which both can find satisfaction, and whose absence can have significant and irreversible consequences for their mental health.
Skin-to-skin contact is described by researchers as the optimal environment for any newborn, but particularly for premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit: it improves physiological and behavioral states, heart and respiratory rates, and oxygen levels. Furthermore, it positively influences weight gain and sleep patterns, as well as reducing cortisol and stress levels, the risk of infection, and the frequency of crying. Promoting this proximity and contact also increases the mother's milk production and facilitates breastfeeding, which is the optimal nutrition for premature infants.
The embrace of family is a healing environment for premature infants in neonatal units, promoting optimal brain development, supporting healing and growth, and strengthening the parent-child bond. Today more than ever, it is crucial to embrace the theme of Prematurity Awareness Week 2022, so that the conceptual framework for all our actions is family-centered care with parental involvement.
Source: First edition
