China has 1.8 mln preterm births every yr

Beijing (CNS) -- China has approximately 1.8 million premature infants born every year, with an incidence of 8.1 percent of all births, disclosed Tong Xiaomei, an official with the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, Thursday.

About 15 million preterm births are recorded every year around the world, more than 10 percent of all births, and 1.1 out of the 15 million died, according to the latest WHO report. The number of prematurely born Chinese babies is also climbing.

By international standards, if an embryo has not grown for more than 37 weeks in the womb, it usually weighs lighter than 2,500 grams at birth. Premature infants are usually weaker and suffer a lower survival rate than full term infants.

Experts say while the causes of premature births cannot be established for certain, they are often linked to maternal diabetes mellitus, hypertension, a smoking habit or excess weight, too short an interval between gestations, pregnancy before 17 or after 40, overuse of fertility agents, or even twin or multiple birth pregnancies.

The survival rate of premature infants has reached 80 to 90 percent in developed countries, and the record for the lightest surviving baby was set at 243 grams. Survival numbers in China are also ascending.

About 15 percent of premature infants suffer from stunted growth or dwarfism. Doctors remind their parents to turn to medical treatment rather than buying the so called "growing tall concoctions" or "elevator shoes."