Nairobi, Kenya – Data from the Ministry of Health shows that Nairobi county tops the list of the top 10 counties with high rates of preterm babies.
Nairobi leads with 5,338 babies born too soon. Nakuru comes second with 2,815, Kiambu with 2,330 preterm births, Kilifi with 1,919 and Bungoma with 1,544. Others include Kajiado with 1,424, Kisumu with 1,346, Mombasa with 1,303, Trans Nzoia with 1,071, Kakamega with 1,49 and Nyeri with 966 preterm babies.
With these counties accounting for 52 per cent of the total premature babies born in the country, The data shows that the rate of premature births in Kenya stands at 12 per cent and 13,300 children under the age of five die from direct premature complications. Each year, an estimated 15 million babies are prematurely born across the globe translating to about one in 10 babies while about one million children die every year as a result of complications of preterm birth.
The World Health Organization says preterm birth complications are the leading cause of death among children under five years of age, responsible for approximately one million deaths in 2015. “Three-quarters of these deaths could be prevented with current, cost-effective interventions,” WHO says.”
Preterm birth is when a baby is born too early before 37 weeks of pregnancy have been completed. According to the online site Mayo Clinic, premature babies, especially those born very early, often have complicated medical problems. Additionally, pregnancy complications can result in preterm birth because the baby has to be delivered early.
“Some risk factors for preterm birth include delivering a premature baby in the past, being pregnant with multiples, tobacco use and substance abuse, and short time (less than 18 months) between pregnancies,” CDC says.