Search results
- DictionaryPree·mie/ˈprēmē/
noun
- 1. a baby born prematurely. informal North American
Yahoo Web Search
Premature birth
A premature birth means a baby is born too early. The birth takes place before the 37th week of pregnancy. A typical pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks.
Premature babies often have serious health problems, especially when they're born very early. These problems often vary. But the earlier a baby is born, the higher the risk of health challenges.
A newborn can be:
- Late preterm, born between 34 and 36 completed weeks of pre...
When to seek medical or mental health expertAlways seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your health. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the community.Your baby may have very mild symptoms of premature birth or more-serious health problems.
Some signs of being born too early include:
- Small size, with a head that's large compared with the body.
- Features that are sharper and less rounded than a full-term baby's features due to a lack of cells that store fat.
- Fine hair that covers much of the body.
- Low body temperature, mainly right after birth in the deliv...
The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) or special care nursery closely tracks your premature baby's health.
Supportive care
This type of care for your baby may include:
- Being placed in an incubator. The incubator is an enclosed plastic bassinet that your baby will probably stay in. It's kept warm to help the baby stay at a regular body temperature. Later on, NICU staff may show you a way to hold your baby with direct skin-to-skin contact. This is known as "kangaro...
The exact cause of preterm birth is often unknown. But some things can be done to help lower the risk of preterm birth, including:
- Taking progesterone supplements. Progesterone is a hormone that plays a role in pregnancy. A lab-made version of it may be able to lower the risk of preterm birth if you've had a premature baby before. It also may lower the risk of preterm birth if you have a short cervix. The cervix is the lower end of the uterus, which opens during labor so a baby can be ...
For informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
© Mayo Clinic
Also Search for
Spermatocele Hot flashes Prostatitis Galactorrhea
