A group in Moncton is hoping to raise the awareness of premature births and help ensure parents are as prepared as they can be in the event their baby comes early.
“Prematurity isn’t something we’re going to cure,” explained Jenna Morton of Preemie Power. “It’s not that we’re raising money for a cure, we’re raising awareness so that people know that it’s a possibility.”
One in 10 pregnancies worldwide result in premature births but still many are unaware of the symptoms to look out for when they’re carrying.
Morton says there’s a simple reason for that.
“A lot of the symptoms for a premature birth are similar to pregnancy symptoms,” said Morton.
“Don’t feel like you’re being a bother by coming in because of a headache you’ve got when you’re pregnant,” Morton said of encouraging mothers to visit their doctor whenever they have concerns. “That could be a sign that something is going wrong.”
Now celebrating four years in operation, Preemie Power hopes by building strong relationships and offering support to those recently affected, they can help minimize the negative issues that can arise.
“If I tell my story and I talk to more people about it, maybe someone else will get one more week than they might’ve had pregnant,” explained Morton. “That one week can make a huge difference in the risk factors for a child.”
World Prematurity Day is Nov. 17.
WATCH: IWK marks World Prematurity Day
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