Help for premature babies: How families are strongly supported at the LMU Clinic

Help for premature babies: How families are strongly supported at the LMU Clinic

In Germany, more than 50,000 premature babies are born every year, many of them fighting for their lives right from the start. At the LMU Clinic in Großhadern is the association “ FrühStart ins Leben e.V.” on the front lines to support these little fighters and their families. The association offers practical help that goes far beyond medical care and works closely with doctors and nurses.

Michaela Lingel, the association's chairwoman, emphasizes that the support for the families of premature babies is tireless. "We want the families not to feel alone during this difficult time. The psychological support and offers such as music therapy are really worth their weight in gold," she says. Affected parents can expect not only medical but also emotional help.

A moving story

Dr. Diana Schwilling, a dedicated mother of triplets, has her own moving story of premature birth. She was hospitalized from the 22nd week of her pregnancy and had to do everything she could to prevent a premature birth. Finally, her triplets were born by emergency cesarean section at 32 weeks and weighed between 1200 and 1350 grams. Her daughter Clara even suffered from a heart defect and had to undergo surgery at five months. Despite these challenges, all three children have developed well and are now embarking on successful career paths.

• Clara studiert Medizin.
• Irmi hat das beste Abitur ihres Gymnasiums gemacht.
• Markus wurde Pilot.

The personal experience of Dr. Schwilling motivated her to study medicine herself and now work as a doctor in the same field. It is a wonderful example of how a challenging time can also turn into positive developments.

The current situation of premature babies

In 2023, 53,137 babies were born prematurely in Germany, and 9,443 of these premature babies weighed less than 1,500 grams. These numbers highlight the ongoing need to improve care and living conditions for premature babies. The Federal Association “The Premature Child” has been campaigning for exactly these concerns for over 30 years and offers support in various areas: from birth to adulthood.

Families of premature babies not only receive medical help, but also the opportunity to exchange ideas with other affected people. The monthly hotline is used by 155 parents and 76 support groups are available to provide advice and support. Events and specialist training also improve knowledge and practice in neonatology.

A look into the future

Advancing research in neonatology is steadily increasing the chances of survival for premature babies, but comprehensive support remains crucial. A new study recently showed that the mother's voice has positive effects on the brain development of premature babies. In addition, new vaccination recommendations against RSV infections for risk groups have been published, which are urgently needed to prevent further endangerment of young patients.

In order to enable innovative projects to support premature babies and their families in the future, many are annoyed that donations are made to the association “ FrühStart ins Leben e.V.” are necessary. Those interested can direct their support to the following account: IBAN DE14 7007 0024 0574 9429 00 at Deutsche Bank. Improving conditions for premature babies requires a shared commitment from all sides.