The Rights Of Premature Babies
Premature babies need special care and attention, not only in the first few weeks of life, but also in the following years. The rights of premature babies form the legal framework for the very special needs of the little people on earth.
Clinical data on premature babies
Children who see the light of day too early all have similar characteristics, as their development is not really advanced enough to survive outside the mother’s womb. Only our medical advances make this possible.
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Weight
The normal weight of a baby is between 3 and 4 kg. However, a premature baby weighs 2,500 grams or less.
Very small premature babies (Very Low Birth Weight or VLBW) are babies with less than 1500 grams and extremely small premature babies (Extremely Low Birth Weight or ELBW) babies with a birth weight of less than 1000 grams.
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Week of pregnancy
Children born before the 37th week of pregnancy are known as premature babies.
When the young babies are born in the 22nd or 23rd week of pregnancy, they are at the limit of viability.
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size
The size of the baby is usually related to that of the parents. Add to this the conditions in which the child is developing, the mother’s health, and other factors.
An infant born after 37 weeks of gestation measures between 46 and 53 cm. Girls are usually a bit smaller, between 46 and 52 cm.
However, premature babies are usually several centimeters smaller, which of course also depends on the week of pregnancy in which they are born.
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Body temperature
All premature babies have a low body temperature because they are not yet able to compensate for it themselves. But usually the body temperature can be regulated in a few days. However, fruits need an incubator that keeps them warm.
What rights do premature babies have?
It is not a miniature adult, so premature babies cannot have the same rights. The specialist is responsible for classifying the child as premature or not.
If the baby has the characteristics described, the parents need to find out what rights their child has. This is how you can assert this, because premature babies need very special medical care and care.
The rights of premature babies include:
- The pregnant woman must do the regular checkups during pregnancy to guarantee the child’s rights.
- The premature child has the right to be cared for and treated in a hospital according to his needs. Because only in this way can his physical development be made possible. However, there is a gray area here: Babies who are born in the 22nd or 23rd week of pregnancy and are at the limit of viability do not have to be treated in Germany. In this case, the doctor must decide whether treatment makes sense or whether it would be a futile therapy. In many other countries, premature babies are only treated medically from the 24th or 25th week of pregnancy.
Preventive action
- The child has the right to preventive measures to prevent certain diseases, such as blindness due to premature birth.
- The child’s family has the right to be adequately informed of all steps and the baby’s health. This enables them to better make decisions about the child’s health.
- The rights of premature babies also include breast milk nutrition. This is extremely important to promote the development of the child and prevent possible diseases.
A premature child has very special characteristics that make it weaker and more susceptible to disease than others. That is why special medical and family care and care are required. This is the only way to prevent further complications as far as possible.
