Premature infants are born before 37 weeks of gestation and can face challenges with breathing, processing food, and other basic reflexes. They are more susceptible to health problems and mortality rates are higher in developing countries. With excellent care, preemies can develop into healthy adults.
In humans, a premature or preterm infant is a baby born after less than 37 weeks of gestation. The typical gestation for humans is 40 weeks, although perfectly normal babies are born between 38 and 42 weeks. Preemies can develop into healthy, grown-up adults, although they require extra care, especially when they are very young. The term “premature” is used by many people because it is considered less cold or clinical than “premature infant.”
Many things can cause premature birth, and not all of them are within the mother’s control. Eating a healthy diet and reducing stress will certainly reduce the likelihood of a premature birth, but premature births can also be the result of diabetes, random infections, high blood pressure, multiple births, or separation of the placenta. When it becomes apparent that a mother is about to give birth prematurely, medical professionals act quickly to save the baby and the mother.
Preemies face several challenges that normal babies don’t have to contend with. Because their organs and bodies aren’t fully developed, preemies struggle to breathe, process food, and perform other basic reflexes. A major concern of preemies is their lungs, which are fragile and not fully formed. Preemies also have difficulty keeping warm, as they lack body fat, which is why they are kept in incubators.
A number of health problems can appear in preemies, as they are more susceptible to their environment. Many preemies develop jaundice, anemia, infections, stomach problems, apnea, and other problems that can alarm parents. These problems become more profound for premature babies born at the viability threshold, which is usually around 23-24 weeks.
In the developed world, a two-pound (800-gram) preemie usually has a good prognosis, given excellent care. Preemies as young as one pound (500 grams) have a mortality rate of about 50%, which may be lower in sophisticated facilities that focus on providing care for preemies. If the premature labor was caused by problems with the baby, the survival rate could drop even lower. In the developing world, mortality rates for premature babies are much higher, due to a lack of adequate facilities.
Premature labor can be very scary, as many people associate preemies with very sick babies and sick people. The fact is, if a preemie closer to 37 weeks can be carried forward in the critical first few weeks, he or she can turn into a normal person, and other people will probably never guess that the baby was born preterm. Babies born close to 23 weeks, unfortunately, may not fare as well, as they are at risk of severe disability, although many do just fine.
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