World Prematurity Day takes place on 17 November and aims to raise awareness of the impact of premature birth, reinforcing the importance of improving care for babies and support for their families.
Under the slogan “Giving premature babies a safe start to a brighter future”, the 2025 edition calls for concerted action to ensure that all babies born prematurely have access to the healthcare, monitoring and environment they need to grow and develop healthily.
This theme is inspired by the World Health Organisation's World Health Day motto “Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures” and reflects the global commitment to ensuring that every premature baby has the best possible start in life.
The Order of Physiotherapists joins this date, highlighting the role of Paediatric Physiotherapy in supporting motor development, preventing respiratory and musculoskeletal complications and promoting the bond between parents and babies.
The physiotherapist's intervention is essential for:
- supporting the overall development of premature babies;
- promote comfort and stability during hospitalisation;
- empowering parents and carers, helping them to understand and participate in daily care;
- ensure continuity of care after hospital discharge, monitoring the child's growth and functionality.
On this day, the colour purple is once again the universal symbol of prematurity, representing the sensitivity and uniqueness of each baby. The website of the Order of Physiotherapists is therefore displayed in this colour, as a sign of support and awareness for this cause.
