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A premature birth is when a baby is born before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy. A full-term pregnancy is 40 weeks. Almost 1 of every 10 infants born in the United States are premature, or preemies. There are 2 kinds of classifications: (1) Gestational age less than 37 weeks with same fetal weight for pregnancy (SMK). (2) Gestational age of less than 37 weeks with a small weight for gestation (KMK).
Often, the specific cause of premature birth isn't clear. However, there are known risk factors of premature delivery, including:
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. The more premature the more serious the potential health problems.
While not all premature babies experience complications, being born too early can cause short-term and long-term health problems. Generally, the earlier a baby is born, the higher the risk of complications. Birth weight plays an important role, too. Some problems may be apparent at birth, while others may not develop until later. The following are short-term or long-term complications that a baby born too early MAY experience:
Statistics:
Survival Rates
Notable Survivors of Preterm Births: