Neonatology at Nemours Children's Health. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. What Is Prematurity? When they do know , it's often because a mother has a health problem during pregnancy, such as: diabetes high blood sugar hypertension high blood pressure heart or kidney problems an infection of the amniotic membranes or vaginal or urinary tracts Babies also may be born early if: there's bleeding, often due to a low-lying placenta placenta previa or a placenta that separates from the womb placental abruption the mother's womb is not shaped typically they're part of a multiple birth twins, triplets, or more their mother was underweight before pregnancy or didn't gain enough weight during pregnancy their mother smoked, used drugs, or drank alcohol while pregnant Does My Baby Need Special Care?

Incubators or radiant warmers keep them warm in the NICU: Infant warmers: These small beds with heaters over them help babies stay warm while being monitored.

Because they are open, the team has easy access to babies to provide care. Incubators: These small beds are enclosed by clear, hard plastic. Temperature in the incubator is controlled to keep a baby's body temperature where it should be. Doctors, nurses, and others can give care to the baby through holes in the sides of the incubator.

What Health Problems Can Happen? These problems include: anemia , when babies don't have enough red blood cells apnea , when a baby stops breathing for a short time; the heart rate may lower; and the skin may turn pale or blue bronchopulmonary dysplasia and respiratory distress syndrome , problems with breathing hyperbilirubinemia , when babies have high levels of bilirubin, which is produced by the normal breakdown of red blood cells.

The cause of sudden infant death syndrome SIDS is Very premature newborns may need to be hospitalized in a neonatal intensive care unit for days, weeks, or months. They may require a breathing tube and a machine that helps air get in and out of the lungs ventilator Mechanical Ventilation Mechanical ventilation is use of a machine to aid the movement of air into and out of the lungs. They receive nutrition into their veins until they can tolerate feedings into their stomach through a feeding tube Tube Feeding Tube feeding may be used to feed people whose digestive tract is functioning normally but who cannot eat enough to meet their nutritional needs.

Such people include those with the following Use of breast milk decreases the risk of developing an intestinal problem called necrotizing enterocolitis Necrotizing Enterocolitis NEC Necrotizing enterocolitis is injury to the inner surface of the intestine.

Because breast milk is low in some nutrients like calcium, it may need to be mixed with a fortifying solution for newborns who have a very low birthweight. Infant formulas made specifically for premature infants that are high in calories also can be used when necessary. Very premature newborns may require a drug that prompts them to breathe, such as caffeine, until the part of the brain that controls regular breathing has matured.

To keep warm, these newborns need to be kept in an incubator until they are able to maintain a normal body temperature. Extremely premature newborns require all the same care as very premature newborns.

Like very premature newborns, these newborns cannot be released from the hospital until they are able to breathe on their own, take oral feedings, maintain a normal body temperature, and gain weight. Premature infants typically remain hospitalized until their medical problems are under satisfactory control and they are.

Most premature infants are ready to go home when they are at 35 to 37 weeks of gestational age and weigh 4 to 5 pounds 2 to 2. However, there is wide variation.

The length of time the infant stays in the hospital does not affect the long-term prognosis. Because premature newborns are at risk of stopping breathing apnea , and having low levels of oxygen in the blood and a slow heart rate while in a car seat, many hospitals in the United States do a car seat challenge test before premature babies are discharged.

The test is done to determine whether babies are stable in the semi-reclined position of a car seat. This test is usually done using the car seat provided by the parents. The car seat challenge test is not highly accurate and is not used by doctors in some other countries.

Premature babies, including those who pass the test, should be observed by a non-driving adult during all car seat travel until the babies have reached the due date and have remained consistently able to tolerate being in the car seat.

Because the baby's color should be observed, travel should be limited to daylight hours. Long trips should be broken up into to minute segments so that the baby can be taken out of the car seat and repositioned. Surveys show that most car seats are not installed optimally, so a check of the car seat by a certified car seat inspector is recommended. Inspection sites can be found here. Some hospitals offer an inspection service, but casual advice provided by an uncertified hospital staff member should not be considered equivalent to inspection by a certified car seat expert.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that car seats be used only for vehicular transportation and not as an infant seat or bed at home. Many doctors also recommend that parents do not put premature infants in swings or bouncy seats for the first few months at home.

After discharge, premature infants are carefully monitored for developmental problems and receive physical, occupational, and speech and language therapy as needed. The following is an English-language resource that may be useful. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: Child car seat inspection station locator: Information about where to get an installed car seat inspected or where to get help with installation. Merck and Co. From developing new therapies that treat and prevent disease to helping people in need, we are committed to improving health and well-being around the world.

The Manual was first published in as a service to the community. Learn more about our commitment to Global Medical Knowledge. This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here. Common Health Topics. Underdeveloped brain Underdeveloped digestive tract and liver Underdeveloped immune system Underdeveloped kidneys Underdeveloped lungs Underdeveloped eyes Difficulty regulating blood sugar levels Heart problems Difficulty regulating body temperature.

Very premature newborns Extremely premature newborns Discharge from the hospital. More Information. General Problems in Newborns. Test your knowledge. More Content. Extremely preterm: Delivered before 28 weeks of gestation. Previous premature birth biggest risk factor. However, most women who deliver a premature newborn have no known risk factors. Physical Features of a Premature Newborn Small size. Girls: Labia majora large lips not yet covering labia minora small lips of the genitals.

After birth: Doctors may give surfactant directly into the newborn's windpipe trachea. Appearance of the newborn. Whether the mother was given corticosteroids for 24 to 48 hours before a premature delivery. Treatment of complications. Taking an adequate amount of milk without special assistance. Was This Page Helpful?

Yes No. In the hospital, this catch-up time may mean learning to eat and sleep, as well as steadily gaining weight. Babies may stay in the hospital until they reach the pregnancy due date. They may be cared for in a neonatal intensive care unit NICU. Talk with your baby's healthcare provider about when your baby will be able to go home. In general, babies can go home when they:. Before discharge, premature babies need an eye exam and hearing test to check for problems related to prematurity.

You must be able to give care, including medicines and feedings, before your baby can go home. You will also need information about follow-up visits with the baby's healthcare provider and vaccines.

Many hospitals have special follow-up healthcare programs for premature and low-birth-weight babies. Even though they are otherwise ready to go home, some babies still have special needs. This includes things such as extra oxygen or tube feedings. You will learn how to take care of your baby if he or she needs these things. Hospital staff can help set up special home care. This can help you adjust to caring for your baby while healthcare providers are nearby for help and reassurance. In general, the risk of premature babies having severe disabilities depends on their degree of prematurity and the severity of illness they experienced following birth.

Around one third of babies born at 24 weeks will develop a significant disability such as intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, blindness or deafness.

Minor disabilities, such as reading or learning problems, usually do not show up until school age. Babies born close to full term usually have no long-term health problems as a result of their early birth. This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:. Some abortion services in Victoria offer reduced fees to students, healthcare card holders and those experiencing financial difficulty.

In Victoria, you can have two types of abortion: surgical and medication. Both types are safe and reliable. You can have a medication abortion up to nine weeks of pregnancy. You can have a surgical abortion from around six weeks of pregnancy onwards. Mifepristone, also called RU or the 'abortion pill', is used to terminate end a pregnancy up to nine weeks.

Abortion is one of the most common and safest types of surgery in Australia. Content on this website is provided for information purposes only. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not in any way endorse or support such therapy, service, product or treatment and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or other registered health professional.

The information and materials contained on this website are not intended to constitute a comprehensive guide concerning all aspects of the therapy, product or treatment described on the website. All users are urged to always seek advice from a registered health care professional for diagnosis and answers to their medical questions and to ascertain whether the particular therapy, service, product or treatment described on the website is suitable in their circumstances.