Erasmus MC conducted a large-scale data study of 1.5 million births. The special outcome is published today in The Lancet Public Health, an important journal for medical science.
–
–
The research was prompted by two small-scale studies from Denmark and Ireland, where doctors already saw cautious signs of a decline.
Less pressure
Neonatologist-epidemiologist Jasper Been of Erasmus MC also saw in his department that it had become less busy since the lockdown. “From the first week after March 9, fewer extremely preterm children entered the ward,” he says.
–
–
From 9 March, the government advised not to shake hands anymore, wash hands more often, keep a distance of 1.5 meters, work from home as much as possible and stay indoors in case of complaints.
1.5 million babies
Erasmus MC decided to conduct a large and detailed study in order to come up with firm conclusions for the first time. RIVM provided anonymous figures of the heel prick screening of 1.5 million babies born between October 2010 and July 2020.
In a heel prick screening, a few drops of blood are taken from the baby in the first week after birth for research into serious, rare diseases. In addition, the data are also recorded for the duration of the pregnancy.
–
–
How many children are involved?
A baby is premature if it is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy. In 2018, 11,530 live and stillborn babies were born prematurely. This is 7.1 percent. Of these, 755 (0.5 percent of all babies) were born extremely prematurely, before 26 weeks of gestation. Only babies born at a gestational age of 22 weeks or more are included.
Nearly 170,000 babies were born in 2019. On average, 7 percent are born prematurely each year.
Source: Volks health care.info and Statistics Netherlands
–
–
Closure of schools and catering
A week later, on March 15, schools and catering establishments in the Netherlands closed. But according to the study, that had no additional influence on the result. “We think pregnant women were more cautious before the government gave this advice,” says Been.
Because the decline is so great, a large international investigation into the causes is now underway. Because what explains the decline after March 9? Was it the better hygiene? Keep it away? Less air pollution or more peace and quiet? Or maybe something else was going on?
–
–
“It is still speculation, but we do have an idea”, says Been. “By washing your hands more often and not shaking hands anymore, bacteria and viruses are exchanged less quickly and the chance of an infection is smaller.”
Follow-up research
If a cause is found, it may be possible to prevent more premature births. That’s good, because premature babies run a high risk of complications and damage. They may have problems seeing or hearing. There is also a risk of neurological disorders. Children born extremely prematurely are more likely to die at a young age.
–
–
The follow-up investigation can take one to two years. “We need to link the data to causes such as air pollution and infections. That’s complicated. But the fact that preterm births are also declining in other countries indicates that there is an outside cause. We hope that in time we will learn more. so that we can better inform parents. “
What Been especially doesn’t want is to scare parents. “Every parent with a premature baby asks what they could have done differently to prevent the premature birth. But they haven’t done anything wrong. That’s not the case. This lockdown is just a special opportunity to learn more about it.”
Insight into causes
The Dutch Association for Obstetrics and Gynecology (NVOG) and the Royal Dutch Organization of Midwives (KNOV) are looking forward to the follow-up research with great interest. “By gaining more insight into the causes of preterm births, we will be better able to act accordingly and further reduce the number of preterm births in the future.”
–
–
‘The tricky part only starts at home’
Ilona Jochems (40) is chairman of the Association for Parents of Incubator Children. Her son Mathijs was born lifeless at 23 weeks and twins Alexander and Casper were born after 26 weeks and a day. The boys are now five years old.
“Our association is there for, among others, parents with premature, dysmature or sick babies. We know better than anyone what the impact this has on the parents, the child and the whole family. Alexander and Casper had complications from birth. Alexander had For example, a significant brain haemorrhage and very bad lungs. A year after returning home from hospital, he was given extra oxygen. He also had a monitor to keep an eye on his vital functions. It went off regularly, especially at night. “
“What parents often encounter in the beginning is that the outside world does not always understand your situation. Because the little ones are so vulnerable, you prefer to keep everyone at a distance, for fear of infections and too many stimuli. don’t know if your child is going to make it at all. “
Almost everything is different
“As soon as parents come home, the outside world often thinks that all medical treatments have been completed and that you can enjoy yourself. But really, that’s when the difficult part begins. In the beginning, a stomach tube, a year of extra oxygen and a monitor survived. we the first year. It’s still tough. The twins are now five, but they are lagging behind their peers. “
“The need for structure causes struggle almost every day, and something as simple as swimming lessons does not just happen automatically. They start later than other children and receive private lessons, because regular lessons are difficult due to their poorer condition, hypermobility and sensitivity to stimuli. Babies are faced with extra challenges in daily life, such as choosing a suitable school. Parents always find a solution, but it does take some extra energy. Vulnerable children often have strong parents. ”
–
–
:quality(80)/cdn-kiosk-api.telegraaf.nl/04aabc6c-0de2-11eb-8563-0217670beecd.jpg "Book Writer About Melania Trump Charged With Breach Of Contract | Abroad")