Premature Babies

Also called: Preemies

Almost 1 of every 10 infants born in the United States are premature, or preemies. A premature birth is when a baby is born before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy. A full-term pregnancy is 40 weeks.

Important growth and development happen throughout pregnancy – especially in the final months and weeks. Because they are born too early, preemies weigh much less than full-term babies. They may have health problems because their organs did not have enough time to develop. Problems that a baby born too early may have include

• Breathing problems
• Feeding difficulties
• Cerebral palsy
• Developmental delay
• Vision problems
• Hearing problems

Preemies need special medical care in a neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU. They stay there until their organ systems can work on their own.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

• Apnea of prematurity (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Intraventricular hemorrhage of the newborn (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Necrotizing enterocolitis (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Neonatal weight gain and nutrition (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Osteopenia – premature infants (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Premature infant (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Preterm labor (Medical Encyclopedia)

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