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SharePremature birth (also known as preterm birth) is defined medically as childbirth occurring earlier than 37 completed weeks of gestation.
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Most pregnancies last about 40 weeks.
About 12 percent of babies in the United States - or 1 in 8 - are born prematurely each year.
In 2003, more than 490,000 babies in the U.S.
were born prematurely.
Premature babies are sometimes called preemies.
The shorter the term of pregnancy is, the greater the risks of complications.
Infants born prematurely have an increased risk of death in the first year of life; prematurity itself is the leading cause of newborn death within one month of birth at 25%.
They are also at a greater risk for developing serious health problems such as: cerebral palsy, chronic lung disease, gastrointestinal problems, mental retardation, vision and hearing loss.
For more information about the topic Premature birth, read the full article at Wikipedia.org, or see the following related articles:
Breech birth — A breech birth (also known as breech presentation) refers to the position of the baby in the uterus such that it will be delivered buttocks first as ... > read more
Childbirth — Childbirth (also called labour, birth, partus or parturition) is the culmination of a human pregnancy with the emergence of a newborn infant from its ... > read more
Pregnancy — Pregnancy is the carrying of one or more embryos or fetuses by female mammals, including humans, inside their bodies. In a pregnancy, there can be ... > read more
Infant — The word infant is commonly used as a slightly more formal word for baby (the youngest category of child). The term infant is also used as ... > read more
Multiple birth — Twins, triplets and other multiple births occur with to varying degrees in most animal species. The most common form of human multiple birth is twins ... > read more
Birth weight — Birth weight is the weight of a baby at its birth. It has direct links with the gestational age at which the child was born and can be estimated ... > read more
Maternal bond — The maternal bond is typically the relationship between a mother and her child. While it typically occurs due to pregnancy and childbirth, it may ... > read more
Twin — The term twin most notably refers to two individuals (or one of two individuals) who have shared the same uterus (womb) and are usually, but not ... > read moreEditor's Note: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
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