Families gathered at two Edmonton hospitals Saturday in support of World Prematurity Day.
The Misericordia and Grey Nuns Community Hospitals held celebrations for families whose babies arrived into the world a little earlier than expected.
Both hospitals have Neonatal Intensive Care Units, which cater to the caring of preterm babies.
Laura Kong has received support through a NICU with two of her children and is currently awaiting the release of her son, who was born just 25 weeks into her pregnancy.
Kong says an event celebrating World Prematurity Day is important to educate and inform people.
"Bringing more awareness to this with this kind of an event is really important, and to help parents who are going through this. The more people that know about it, the more they can get support as they go through it.”
10.7 per cent of total births at both hospitals are preterm, with 832 babies being born with less than 37 weeks gestation at both sites in the span of a year.
Approximately 15 million babies are born preterm each year, accounting for one in 10 of all babies worldwide.
