Be aware of the Well-being of infants

Since conception, each new life starts to prepare itself to live. During epigenetic programing in the first 1000 days, the autonomic nervous system (ANS) develops to allows new life to survive in its environment. Adverse events may lead epigenetic changes, with implications for health and disease.

The number of preterm infants is increasing; these babies are fragile as they are born with a weak parasympathetic system. Newborns in the NICU may undergo more than 12 painful procedures per day, which puts them in a state of continuous stress, worsening their outcomes. Babies who experience a lot of stress during the first 1000 days of life have been shown to be at higher risk for physical and psychological problems, such as hypertension, diabetes, or behavioral problems such as alcohol abuse or mental health disorders.