🌎 World Prematurity Day – November 17

A message for families, clinicians, and our global neonatal community

Each year on November 17, we pause to honour the 15 million babies born too soon across the world. Prematurity is the single greatest cause of newborn death and a major contributor to lifelong health challenges. Yet behind every statistic is a family, a story of resilience, and a community of clinicians and researchers working tirelessly to improve outcomes.

At Research4Babies.org and the Centre for the Studies of Asphyxia and Resuscitation (CSAR) at the University of Alberta, our mission is simple but urgent:to give every baby the best possible chance at a healthy start.

💜 Why Prematurity Matters

Premature babies—especially those born before 28 weeks—face unique challenges:

• Their lungs are not fully ready for life outside the womb.

• Their brains are fragile and vulnerable to injury.

• They often rely on complex technologies and life-saving interventions in the minutes after birth.

Even with advances in neonatal care, families navigating preterm birth face uncertainty and emotional stress. This is why research, innovation, and compassionate clinical care matter more than ever.

🧪 What CSAR Is Doing to Improve Premature Infant Outcomes

At CSAR, world-leading neonatologists, scientists, and trainees work together to address one of medicine’s most urgent challenges: how to resuscitate and care for extremely fragile newborns safely and effectively.

Our research programs focus on:

1. Improving the First Minutes of Life

The transition from fetal to neonatal life is the most physiologically complex moment a baby will ever experience.CSAR leads cutting-edge research on:

• Better ventilation strategies (e.g., volume-targeted ventilation, CC+SI)

• Optimizing oxygen delivery

• Improving chest compressions

• Novel devices like the Next Step™ Resuscitator

These advances aim to reduce brain injury, improve survival, and strengthen long-term neurodevelopment.

2. Global Clinical Trials That Change Practice

Our team leads and contributes to large international randomized controlled trials, including:

• HiLo Trial (oxygen targets in delivery room resuscitation)

• SURV1VE Trials (vasopressor strategies for newborn resuscitation)

• VOLT, VERSE, and other landmark studies

These trials generate the high-quality evidence needed to transform guidelines and save lives around the world.

3. Innovation Through Wearables and AI

Through Research4Babies.org, we develop and test tools to improve monitoring and decision-making for premature infants, including:

• Wearable oximetry sensors

• AI-integrated virtual care platforms

• Data-driven early-warning systems

Our goal is to bring advanced technology to NICUs everywhere—especially where resources are limited.

👶 Why Research4Babies.org Exists

Research4Babies.org bridges the gap between scientific discovery and real-world impact. It allows:

• Families to learn about neonatal research

• Clinicians to access educational tools

• Researchers to communicate breakthroughs

• Trainees to grow in a supportive, innovative environment

Most importantly, it amplifies the voices of the babies and families who inspire this work.

💜 A Call to Action on World Prematurity Day

Today, we honour:

• The babies who fought bravely

• The families who showed strength

• The clinicians who never give up

• The researchers pushing boundaries

• The global community united for preterm infants

Premature babies deserve the best science, the best care, and the best chance.At CSAR and Research4Babies.org, we are committed to creating that future—one study, one innovation, and one baby at a time.