4MyChild: Help and Hope for Life

May 21, 2007

Health Risks for Premature Babies

A baby is considered “full term” when born at 37 weeks. Most babies are born about 40 weeks after the first day of their mother’s last menstrual period. About one in eight babies arrives sooner, according to the March of Dimes. A birth that takes place more than three weeks before the due date is considered a premature birth.

A baby born prematurely has had less of a chance to develop and mature inside its mother’s womb. When a baby is born prematurely the result is an increased risk of medical and developmental problems which may include underdeveloped lungs. If you go into labor too early, your doctor may try to delay your baby’s birth. Even a few extra days in the womb can promote significant development.

Nearly half of extremely premature babies (under 26 weeks) who survive develop a disability or learning difficulty.
Another third will have mild impairments, such as problems with eyesight and the need to wear glasses by age 6.
According to the New England Journal of Medicine, 22% of babies born under 26 weeks have  severe disabilities such as cerebral palsy, blindness or profound deafness, and a further 24% had moderate disability, such as special learning needs.

Boys also have higher risk of disability than girls- more than a third of extremely premature boys had moderate to severe disabilities - 2.4 times more than the number of girls.

Did you have a baby prematurely? Did you have a high risk pregnancy? Were their complications during your baby’s delivery? Read more about premature birth and cerebral palsy.
Are you concerned about the health risk that may be facing your child? Contact 4MyChild Live CareCenter Specialists for help and support.