<p>Many babies are born too soon and too small when girls are unable to delay their first pregnancy, and couples can't space their children using modern methods of family planning.
</p><p>Edith’s two twin boys are strapped to their grandmother’s chest in the maternity unit in the Queen Elizabeth hospital in Blantyre, Malawi. This is called “kangaroo care” where mothers hold their premature babies close to their chest. The skin-to-skin contact helps keep the babies warm and improves their survival.
</p><p><b> Background </b> 
</p><p>On 11 July 2012 the UK Government and the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation will host a groundbreaking summit to cut in half the current number of women and girls in the world’s poorest countries without access to contraception, but who wish to avoid pregnancy or space their children. 
</p><p>Find out more at <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.dfid.gov.uk/changinglives">www.dfid.gov.uk/changinglives</a> 
</p>
To follow the London Summit on Family Planning visit <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.dfid.gov.uk/fpsummit">www.dfid.gov.uk/fpsummit</a>
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/people/14214150@N02">DFID - UK Department for International Development</a>
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<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/dfid/7497732174/">Born too soon and too small - Edith's twin boys</a>