Skin-to-skin Effort Aims to Cut Newborn Deaths

There are 16 million babies born in China each year, and approximately 150,000 of them die before they reach one month of age.   71   Zhang Shuyi, a researcher at the Capital Institute of Pediatrics in Beijing, said there was strong evidence for the First Embrace approach.

“When babies are cold, they are more likely to catch infections or have difficulty breathing,” she said,”   72   It provides direct protection against infection, promotes bonding between the parent and child and supports breast-feeding.” Health workers who shifted from the normal practice of separation to skin-to-skin contact have observed that babies are more pink, calm and comfortable.

The WHO has developed the First Embrace approach to help reduce newborn deaths across the Western Pacific region, including China. Bernhard Schwartlander , the WHO Representative in China, said, “As many as two-thirds of newborn deaths could be prevented using simple, low-cost methods, including the First Embrace.”

73   The WHO will be posting information about the campaign, and hosting online question-and-answer sessions with Chinese and international experts. The public can participate by following the WHO on Weibo and joining the conversation.  Schwartlander said, “We are targeting new parents, pregnant women and couples thinking about having a baby.   74   ”

Just last month, a new research shows that child and mother health outcomes in Shanghai are equal to those in the USA and Canada.   75   Hopefully, the messages conveyed by the new campaign could help to bridge that gap.