The Empire State Building towers will light purple today in honor of the 7th annual World Prematurity Day (WPD). Parent groups and organizations worldwide join together on WPD to raise awareness of the serious problem of premature birth.
Premature birth -- before 37 weeks of pregnancy -- and its consequences are the leading cause of death for children under the age of 5 worldwide. Babies who survive an early birth can face serious health challenges and are at risk for lifelong disabilities including breathing problems, vision loss, cerebral palsy, and intellectual delays. About 15 million babies worldwide are born prematurely each year, and one million of them die before their first birthdays.
Learn more about what you can do to help, and show you care about premature babies at facebook.com/WorldPrematurityDay. Special thanks to the Empire State Building for supporting 2017 World Prematurity Day.
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