A woman dies every two minutes due to pregnancy or childbirth: UN agencies

WHO News HNN Team

This news release is from WHO. New data show major setbacks for maternal health in many parts of the world, highlighting stark disparities in healthcare access Every two minutes, a woman dies during pregnancy or childbirth, according to the latest estimates released in a report by United Nations agencies today. This report, Trends in maternal mortality, … Continued

A child or youth died once every 4.4 seconds in 2021 – UN report (WHO)

WHO News HNN Team

This news release is taken from WHO. Another 1.9 million babies were tragically stillborn during the same period, according to a separate UN report. NEW YORK/GENEVA/WASHINGTON D.C., 10 January 2023 – An estimated 5 million children died before their fifth birthday and another 2.1 million children and youth aged between 5–24 years lost their lives in 2021, … Continued

Steroids boost survival of preterm babies in low-resource settings, new study finds

World Health Organization HNN Team

This article was originally published by WHO.  Accurate pregnancy dating and quality care combined with the steroids are key to survival The results of a new clinical trial, published today in the New England Journal of Medicine, show that dexamethasone—a glucocorticoid used to treat many conditions, including rheumatic problems and severe COVID-19— can boost survival of … Continued

Coronavirus May Increase Premature Births, Studies Suggest

New York Times HNN Team

This article was originally published by the New York Times/Roni Caryn Rabin.  Pregnant women who are infected with the coronavirus and hospitalized are at risk for developing serious complications, and may face an elevated risk for delivering their babies prematurely, according to new studies from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They may also … Continued

During Coronavirus Lockdowns, Some Doctors Wondered: Where Are the Preemies?

New York Times HNN Team

This article was originally published by The NY Times This spring, as countries around the world told people to stay home to slow the spread of the coronavirus, doctors in neonatal intensive care units were noticing something strange: Premature births were falling, in some cases drastically. It started with doctors in Ireland and Denmark. Each … Continued

Newborn baby girl found buried alive in a clay pot in India gets clean bill of health less than two months later

Daily Mail India HNN Team

This article was originally published by The Daily Mail A newborn baby girl who was found buried alive three feet underground in India has returned to full health less than two months later. The baby girl, whose parents are unknown, was barely breathing when she was rescued by a woman who was at a funeral … Continued

More pregnant women and children protected from malaria, but accelerated efforts and funding needed to reinvigorate global response, WHO report shows

Relief Web HNN Team

This article was originally published by Reliefweb The number of pregnant women and children in sub-Saharan Africa sleeping under insecticide-treated bed nets and benefiting from preventive medicine for malaria has increased significantly in recent years, according to the World Health Organization’s World malaria report 2019. However, accelerated efforts are needed to reduce infections and deaths … Continued

Malaria progress stall continues, but more pregnant women and kids protected

Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy HNN Team

This article was originally published by CIDRAP Though progress against malaria continues to stall, mainly due to funding gaps, the World Health Organization (WHO) in its annual report today highlighted a promising development: more pregnant women and children were protected against the disease. In the report, based on 2018 data, the WHO estimates there were … Continued

Saudi Arabia delivers ‘early warning’ on preterm births

Arab Times HNN Team

This story was originally published by Arab News JEDDAH: Up to 60,000 babies are born prematurely every year in Saudi Arabia with hospitals in the Kingdom spending up to SR60,000 ($16,000) on individual treatment and specialized care, a leading pediatrician told Arab News. Dr. Sawsan Hussein Daffa, consultant neonatologist and head of pediatrics department at the Aya … Continued

Malawi study confirms lasting impact of life-saving technology

Rice University Malawi HNN Team

This article was originally published by Rice University here. By Jade Boyd Malawi’s national adoption of affordable, rugged, neonatal CPAP technology as a part of routine hospital care resulted in sustained improvements in the survival of babies with respiratory illness, according to a new study in the journal Pediatrics. Malawi, in southeast Africa, has the … Continued