11th July 2024
The Southern Health and Social Care Trust is the first in the region to implement a perinatal care bundle for the earliest and most vulnerable babies, increasing their chances of leading a fuller, healthier life.
For the past year, the Neonatal Unit have been manging pre-term babies when they are born with PERIPrem (Perinatal Excellence to Reduce Injury in Premature Birth). This consists of 11 evidence-based interventions and ensures babies born prematurely receive life-changing care.
The interventions include place of birth, well-timed antenatal steroids, magnesium to reduce the risk of cerebral palsy, delayed cord clamping, keeping a baby warm and offering maternal breast milk. A PERIPrem passport has also been introduced which helps inform and fully involve parents in the care of their baby as it outlines the PERIPrem bundle elements their baby should receive.
Frances McGuigan, Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioner in Craigavon Area Hospital Neonatal Unit, said by putting these very simple interventions in at the time of a pre-term birth, we can make an enormous difference.
“Unfortunately, perinatal mortality is significantly high in Northern Ireland, but perinatal optimisation has been shown to decrease both mortality and morbidity in this vulnerable group of babies.
“Nobody ever expects to have a preterm birth and it is an incredibly stressful time for many as it is quite often thrown on people very quickly but with the introduction of PERIPrem, we can support families on that journey.”
With 30% of all admissions into neonatal under 34 weeks gestation in the past year (56 out of 201 babies) the team have the potential to make a difference to so many little lives and Frances added that they have made massive achievements over the past year.
“What we have been able to do over the past year is give women who have gone into labour unexpectedly those key skin-to-skin delivery suite cuddles, something that they did not expect to happen when they are been thrown into situation where they are having a pre-term baby.
“We have also had colostrum before a pre-term baby was born, which has meant that the baby has been able to receive this straight away whilst still in the delivery suite. We know how important early maternal breast milk is as it can significantly reduce the risk of infections for a pre-term baby.
“However, one of the main concepts of PERIPrem is working collaboratively and I have to thank our neonatal nursing, midwifery and obstetric colleagues who have been consistent in their approach with the perinatal management surrounding a preterm birth, not just the elements we (the PERIPrem team) are actively involved with.
“We have all been involved in making a difference to the lives of the preterm babies we are privileged to care for. We are very excited that this will be implemented regionally within the neonatal network of Northern Ireland eventually, however we are in the unique position for currently being the first Trust.”
Colm McCaffrey, Director of Children and Young People said:
“I am delighted that we are the first trust in Northern Ireland to implement the PERIPrem care bundle as a systematic collaborative approach to the perinatal management of those babies born before 34 weeks gestation.
“I am very proud of the team for forging these new ways of working, joining together to drive forward and revolutionise care for preterm babies.”
