Today is World Prematurity Day, a day to raise awareness of preterm births and the challenges faced by these most vulnerable babies and their families. The global theme for World Prematurity Day 2024 is “Over 13 million babies born too soon every year. Access to quality care everywhere” . This theme underscores the urgent need for universal access to quality care for preterm babies.

The Global Scope of Premature Birth

Preterm birth is a global issue that touches every country, community, and family in different ways, and is increasing, especially in more highly-developed countries. Access to quality care for premature babies is essential. Studies show that access to effective, evidence-based interventions, such as kangaroo mother care (KMC), significantly improves outcomes (Chan et al, 2017) . Unfortunately, KMC participation rates vary significantly, both between countries and within countries.

Preterm babies are often in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) for extended periods.  It has been shown that increased skin to skin contact through KMC reduces morbidity and hospital stays and improves rates of breastfeeding, and that benefits are retained over the long term (Charpak et al, 2017; Conde-Agudelo et al, 2016).

SurePulse:

SurePulse recognises the importance of Kangaroo Mother Care, including for those born preterm or low birthweight; Our vision is a world where baby-centred innovation transforms neonatal outcomes.

Currently one of the barriers to greater provision of KMC is parental and clinical staff concerns about the health status of the baby during KMC and transition. Wireless monitoring of the baby is likely to increase rates of KMC by addfressing these concerns, making it easier for staff to facilitate KMC. This will improve the quality and duration of KMC sessions, reduce the need to disturb the baby to adjust sensors, and improve the bonding of parent and baby (Bonner et al, 2017). Enhanced bonding of parent and baby also helps breast milk production.

The SurePulse VS is SurePulse’s first device approved in the US, UK and EU for clinical use, and comprises a thermo-protective single-use cap that provides clinical teams with wireless, continuous and accurate heart rate information.

References

Chan G, Bergelson I, Smith ER, Skotnes T, Wall S. Barriers and enablers of kangaroo mother care implementation from a health systems perspective: a systematic review. Health Policy Plan. 2017 Dec 1;32(10):1466-1475. doi: 10.1093/heapol/czx098. PMID: 28973515; PMCID: PMC5886293.

Bonner O, Beardsall K, Crilly N, Lasenby J. ‘There were more wires than him’: the potential for wireless patient monitoring in neonatal intensive care. BMJ innovations. 2017 Feb 1;3(1).

Charpak N, Tessier R, Ruiz JG, Hernandez JT, Uriza F, Villegas J, Nadeau L, Mercier C, Maheu F, Marin J, Cortes D. Twenty-year follow-up of kangaroo mother care versus traditional care. Pediatrics. 2017 Jan 1;139(1).

Conde-Agudelo_A, Díaz-Rossello_JL. Kangaroo mother care to reduce morbidity and mortality in low birthweight infants. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2016, Issue 8. Art. No.: CD002771. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD002771.pub4.