Prematurity used to be a major cause of infant deaths. Improved medical and nursing techniques have increased the survival of premature infants. The longer the pregnancy, the greater the chance of survival. Of babies born at 28 weeks, at least 90% survive.

Prematurity can have long-term effects. Many premature infants have medical, developmental, or behavioral problems that continue into childhood or are permanent. The more premature an infant and the smaller the birth weight, the greater the risk of complications. However, it is impossible to predict a baby's long-term outcome based on gestational age or birth weight.

Possible complications that may occur while in the hospital include:

• Anemia
• Bleeding into the brain (intraventricular hemorrhage of the newborn) or damage to the brain's white matter (periventricular leukomalacia)
• Infection or neonatal sepsis
• Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
• Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, extra air in the tissue of the lungs (pulmonary interstitial emphysema), bleeding in the lungs (pulmonary hemorrhage)
• Newborn jaundice
• Patent ducturs arteriosus
• Severe intestinal inflammation (necrotizing enterocolitis)

Possible long-time complications include:

• Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)
• Delayed growth and development
• Mental or physical disability or delay
• Retinopathy of prematurity, vision loss, or blindness

Call your health care provider if you are pregnant and believe you are going into labor prematurely.

If you are pregnant and not receiving prenatal care, call your health care provider or your state's department of health. Most state health departments have programs that provide prenatal care to mothers, whether or not they have insurance or are able to pay.

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Premature infant Symptoms

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Premature infant Prevention

Review Date: 01/08/2010
Reviewed By: Kimberly G. Lee, MD, MSC, IBCLC, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC. Review Provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)