I start this piece with a confession: up until 2019, I’d never heard about World Prematurity Day. I never paid attention to it, I never even knew about it.
Really though, I never had a reason to… until my sons were born 13 weeks prematurely. Now, as a parent of preterm children, it’s a day I pay full attention to.
World Prematurity Day is an important day on the calendar for parents of premature babies. Find out more about the day and its importance here.
What is World Prematurity Day?
World Prematurity Day is a global awareness day that aims to draw attention to preterm birth and the associated problems for babies and families.
It first started in 2011 and has grown over recent years as prematurity becomes a more widely discussed and studied topic.
When is World Prematurity Day?
World Prematurity Day takes place on the 17th November each year. It is the focal day for Prematurity Awareness Month, which spans November.
What is the theme for World Prematurity Day 2025?
The theme for World Prematurity Day 2025 is: “Give preterm babies a strong start for a brighter future”.
This focus is inspired by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) campaign, which speaks about “Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures,” and it highlights a critical global need: improving the health and overall well-being of babies born prematurely right from the very first day. The main idea is to stress how essential it is to provide excellent care, unwavering support, and the best possible beginning for these vulnerable infants and their families.
The core aim of the 2025 theme is to effectively raise awareness about the complex challenges linked to a premature birth. We need to push for the necessary resources and comprehensive support systems for these children, not just while they are in the neonatal unit, but crucially, for the many years that follow. This initiative is a powerful call to action: it encourages every one of us to take steps that will genuinely help preterm babies to thrive. We want to ensure they have every chance to reach their full potential, helping them build healthier and stronger futures.
Bliss, the leading UK prematurity charity, is also running a campaign NeonatalVoices initiative, which aims to share diverse stories from parents, families, and professionals involved in neonatal care. To get involved, people can share their experiences using the hashtag, download a toolkit from Bliss, participate in fundraising events like the Little Lights Walk, or complete a 90km November challenge.
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Why is World Prematurity Day important?
1 in 10 babies are born prematurely worldwide each year… and sadly, a million don’t survive.
Many people – myself included until I was thrust suddenly into the situation – still don’t understand or even know what prematurity can mean. In 2019, two of the estimated 60,000 premature babies in the UK were mine, and at the time it felt like a journey my wife and I travelled alone.
Having a baby in NICU can be daunting, scary and lonely. It’s an experience that stays with you for a long time, but at the time you often feel as though there’s nowhere to turn.
I can happily report that my sons managed to overcome their extreme prematurity. Though there were several bumps in the road to recovery, they’re now happy, healthy and thriving at home where they belong.
Unfortunately, not all parents get to bring their premature babies home. That’s why we need to continue to raise awareness of prematurity: to support parents and families at such a difficult time.
How can you get involved and show your support?
There are several ways you can show your support and help to raise awareness on World Prematurity Day.
Social media
Social media will be abuzz with conversation, opinion, experiences and tips, so be sure to get involved in the conversation (or read others’ views). The hashtags to follow and use on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram are:
- #WorldPrematurityDay
- #WorldPrematurityDay2025
- #WorldPrematurityDay25
- #PrematurityAwarenessMonth
Wear purple
The colour purpleis seen as the most synonymous with World Prematurity Day, so wearing something purple is a great way to show your support. If you don’t have a purple t-shirt or jumper, go for something more subtle like a ribbon, scarf, tie or hairband.
Some people have pledged to dye their hair people for the occasion (alas, I’m folically challenged, so that option passes me by).
Light a candle or decorate
You can also show support by shining a purple light or lighting a purple candle in honour of premature babies around the world. Or why not create a sock line? Hang nine baby socks with one smaller purple one to symbolise the one in ten babies born prematurely.
The charity Tiny Lives Trust is also asking people to display a great with tiny footprints in their windows – you can print one out here.
Caring for the premature babies of the future
Despite incredible advances in medical care and improvements in the outlook for preterm babies, prematurity remains the single biggest cause of death in children under 5. We’ve come a long way, but there’s a way to go – let’s continue raising awareness together.