Lucknow: Late marriages and lifestyle problems among urban women are contributing to nearly 30% of premature births, and many need special breathing support to survive, experts highlighted at the start of the 16th Annual National Conference of the Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP) in the city on Friday.State coordinator of the conference and senior paediatrician at Health City Vistaar, Dr Niranjan Kumar said this number can be reduced if mothers eat nutritious food, avoid marrying late (beyond 32 years), go for regular check-ups during pregnancy, and if health issues like high blood pressure and diabetes are managed on time.The conference began with seven workshops at top medical institutions including KGMU, SGPGI, Medanta, Era Medical College, Command Hospital and Health City. At Health City Vistaar, Dr Kumar said the focus was on modern breathing techniques for premature babies and those with serious conditions like pneumonia or oxygen shortage. About 85 participants are being trained by 12 experts over two days.He explained that premature babies often have weak lungs and need timely, advanced care. While basic breathing support is now available in most district hospitals, more advanced techniques are still limited to bigger centres.He advised parents to watch out for danger signs in newborns such as severe breathing problems, very low oxygen levels, worsening pneumonia, high fever, drowsiness, or unconsciousness — and rush the baby to a bigger centre immediately. “Delay can cause permanent harm or even loss of life,” he warned. Preventive steps like proper nutrition, regular check-ups, and at least three ultrasound tests during pregnancy can help reduce premature births and support healthy lung development in babies.At other centres, experts including Dr Mala Kumar, Dr Sanjay Niranjan and Dr Sandeep Kapoor also warned that seasonal illnesses like fever, cough, diarrhoea and dengue are common among children during monsoon. Parents were advised to maintain hygiene, make sure children wash hands before meals, avoid sending sick children to school, and keep up with vaccinations, especially against influenza.