6,000 premature babies are born in Bulgaria every year

Every year in Bulgaria, about 6,000 children are born prematurely, weighing less than 2,500 grammes. This figure has remained unchanged over the years. However, doctors note there is a good trend showing that more and more premature babies survive, even those born in the middle of pregnancy. The data was revelaed on the day Bulgarua marks the feast of St. Stilyan - the protector of babies.

Ivan was born prematurely last summer - at week 29. He weighed just over 1 kg.

He was supposed to be born in November, but was born 2 months and 10 days earlier, the reason being an infection and he had to come out earlier.

After a two-month fight and constant care in the neonatology department of the Hospital in Plovdiv, the child was discharged, with a normal weight.

Currently, 24 prematurely born babies are being treated in the hospital. Last year 170 children passed through the ward, 11 of them were born under 1 kg. The most common causes are infections during pregnancy or poor outpatient care.

Dr. Diana Argirova - Chief of the Department of Neonatology - University Hospital "Plovdiv": In many cases, the pregnancies are not really monitored. Very young mothers, minors, advanced maternal age… all this can contribute to such premature births and the birth of a baby with a low weight.

It is also common practice for mothers to abandon their premature infants after they are born. A premature born baby girl in the ward will be placed in a foster family soon.