Information on Preemie Babies

Babies born early have a tough road ahead.

Most mothers begin pregnancy assuming that they will give birth after nine months to a healthy, full term baby. But the statistics tell a different story and all expecting mothers should be prepared for the possibility of giving birth to a preemie.

Defintion

Any baby born before the 37th week of pregnancy is considered pre-term. However, the baby is only premature if his organs are not fully developed. The timeframe for this is different from baby to baby.

Odds

According to the March of Dimes, In the United States, nearly 12 percent of all births are pre-term. Proper medical care can often halt pre-term labor, giving the baby longer to develop.

Care

A premature baby will require time in the neonatal intensive care unit. Many babies will require feeding tubes and help breathing. Many premature babies stay in the hospital until they reach the date that the pregnancy would have been full-term.

Prognosis

A baby born sooner than 28 weeks has slightly higher than 50 percent odds of surviving. A baby born after 32 weeks has much higher odds, with survival rates as high as 98 percent.

Long-Term Impact

Premature babies that survive infancy are more likely to suffer from cerebral palsy than full term babies. In addition, they often have lifetime problems with their vision, hearing and lungs.

References

• March of Dimes on Preemie Issues
• NIH on Preemies