Welcome to
IMPROVE PRETERM!
From Surviving to Thriving: Improving Lifelong Health for Babies Born Too Soon
IMPROVE PRETERM – short for IMPROVing lifElong health and development for children and adults born very PRETERM – observational studies to enhance randomized trials for comparative effectiveness research – is a four-year research project funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe program (2025–2028). Yes, the full name is a mouthful, which is why we call it IMPROVE PRETERM.
Every year, more than 50,000 babies in Europe are born very preterm, before 32 weeks of pregnancy. Thanks to advances in neonatal care, more of these babies survive than ever before – but survival is only the first step. Many children and adults born very preterm still face lifelong challenges, from learning difficulties and developmental delays to breathing problems and mental health concerns. Families and healthcare providers often lack clear, evidence-based guidance on how to support them.
That is where IMPROVE PRETERM comes in. Our international team of researchers, doctors, parents, and advocates is working together to:
- Find out what works best by comparing existing treatments and care strategies.
- Develop new tools, such as a simple parent questionnaire to track child development.
- Build a sustainable data platform to make research faster, safer, and more collaborative.
- Put families at the center of research and care.
Our goal is simple: to turn survival into a healthy, thriving future for children and adults born very preterm.
Explore our site to learn more about the project, our partners, and how we are working to improve care and quality of life for very preterm babies and their families.