In honor of World Prematurity Day, today we’re following the story of one woman’s journey to have a safe pregnancy to deliver a healthy full-term baby. Meet Mariam, a 23-year-old pregnant woman from Mali, a country where 84,000 babies are born too soon every year and 9,170 children under five die due to preterm complications according to the latest country data on world prematurity. This is part one of a four-part series. Follow the whole series here.
Mariam is a 23-year-old expectant mother from Mali who is showing early symptoms of preterm birth. In Mariam’s case, she is predisposed to giving birth prematurely in part because she lacks access to adequate nutrition.
Social determinants of preterm birth can often be traced back to what’s known as “LINC” factors: unhealthy lifestyle, maternal infection, inadequate nutrition and lack of contraception.
With approximately 12 percent of babies born preterm in Mali and approximately 15 million babies born preterm each year around the world, many expectant mothers worldwide find themselves in similar situations as Mariam. Johnson & Johnson and partners are committed to creating a world where every newborn can be born on time and every woman can receive the care she deserves. Working closely with local governments and stakeholders in Mali as well as in Bangladesh and Ethiopia, Born On Time (which includes partners World Vision, Plan International Canada, Save the Children, the Government of Canada and Johnson & Johnson) uses a comprehensive prevention approach to help mothers like Mariam reach full-term pregnancies.
