15 million babies

15 million of world's babies are born prematurely: U.S rate far higher than similar countries

5/2/2012

In the U.S are half a million babies born too soon

Half a million babies are born too soon in the US - and at a rate far higher than in Europe or other similar countries.

A new report finds some 15 million premature babies are born every year - more than 1 in 10 of the world's births and a bigger problem than previously estimated.

The first country-by-country count of the problem shows most preemies are born in Africa and Asia. But it's a problem for the U.S., too, where half a million babies are born too soon - and at a rate far higher than in Europe or other similar countries.

The toll: some 1.1 million of the world's preemies die.

The report estimates that three-quarters of the deaths could be prevented by spreading some simple, inexpensive treatments to low-income countries - including teaching "kangaroo care," in which moms carry their tiny babies nestled skin-to-skin on their bare chests for warmth when there are no incubators.

 From nydailynews.com