The number of births fell last year to 155,418, as compared to 180,735 newborns in 2021, the Asociatia Prematurilor (Preterm Association) in a press release on Monday.

According to the source, as many as 25,887 premature newborns were registered.

In Bucharest alone, 2,990 premature babies were born, compared to the data reported in 2022, when there were 1,376 premature births.

According to the association’s representatives, 6,284 children were born to young mothers under 18, as follows: mothers aged 12 – 27 newborns, 13 – 104, 14 – 496, 15 – 1,114, 16 – 1,968, 17 – 2,575, and 3,608 newborns had mothers aged 18.

„These demographic data reveal that, in the long term, society will have an ageing population, and the increasing number of premature births is associated with major risks at birth, prolonged hospitalization, increasing costs for the public health system and for families, risk of postpartum depression, and risks in long-term neuro-motor development associated with prematurity. (…) These statistics show that we urgently need some new health policies regarding the support given to state maternity wards, both by expanding the premature wards, significant investments in modern equipment and medical supplies and by increasing the competencies of the national level grade II maternity wards so that they can treat extreme premature infants of 22, 23, 24, even 27 weeks with severe complications at birth, without requesting transfer to university and regional units,” said Diana Gamulescu, founder of the Asociatia Prematurilor, quoted in the press release.

According to her, Romania needs more neonatal medical staff, programs and measures to prevent pregnancies in underage mothers.

AGERPRES