Hazards of Prematurity
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Prematurity is determined by the relationship between gestation and weight at birth.
Infants are premature if born before 37 weeks, regardless of weight.
Low birth weight refers to infants weighing less than 2500 g at birth even if they are born at term.
Very low birth weight refers to infants weighing less than 1500 g.
Risk factors for prematurity include maternal age (under age 16 and older than 35); poor health habits; diabetes; problems with the placenta, uterus, or cervix; and disease.
Complications of prematurity are often derived from the consequences of poor lung function.
The premature infant looks like an extrauterine fetus, with thin skin, little body fat, and lanugo.
Long-term outcomes for premature infants depend on multiple factors, but they do have an increased incidence of health and learning problems.
Preterm birth is responsible for almost two-thirds of infant mortality. Those preterm infants who survive are at increased risk for cerebral palsy, mental retardation, and sensory and learning impairments. They also experience more chronic health problems during infancy and childhood. These difficulties have implications for the affected individuals’ social, educational, and psychological adaptation.
TERMS USED TO REFER TO PREMATURITYThe average gestational period for the human infant is 40 weeks. The date when the baby’s birth is expected is called the estimated date of confinement (EDC). It is calculated by counting backward 3 months from a woman’s last menstrual cycle and then adding 7 days. An infant is full term when its birth occurs between 1 week before and 2 weeks after the EDC. The infant weighs 3100 to 3400 g and is about 50 cm long at this point.
According to the World Health Organization, infants are premature (or preterm) if they are born before 37 weeks, regardless of their weight. Low birth weight (LBW) refers to infants weighing less than 2500 g at birth (5.5 lb), even if they are born at term. Very low birth weight (VLBW) refers to infants weighing less than 1500 g (3.3 lb); they are unlikely to be born at term.
According to the World Health Organization, infants are premature (or preterm) if they are born before 37 weeks, regardless of their weight. Low birth weight (LBW) refers to infants weighing less than 2500 g at birth (5.5 lb), even if they are born at term. Very low birth weight (VLBW) refers to infants weighing less than 1500 g (3.3 lb); they are unlikely to be born at term.
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