What causes babies to be born prematurely?
Signs of preterm labour
The survival of preterm babies
Pregnancy care and care for preterm labour and birth
How preterm babies look
Feeding your preterm baby
Health concerns for preterm babies
Emotional considerations
Not every pregnancy makes it to the due date. In fact about 7 to 8% of all babies born in Australia will be 'premature' or 'preterm' (sometimes caregivers will refer to a preterm baby as a 'prem' baby). A 'term pregnancy' is defined as 37 to 42 weeks. Babies born within this time frame are generally regarded as 'being ready to be born'. A premature or 'preterm baby' refers to babies born before 37 weeks of the pregnancy. If your baby is born before this time, your caregiver will usually have some concerns for your baby's health.
The medical definition that determines a 'preterm baby' from a 'miscarriage' (in Australia) is the baby being more than 20 weeks gestation and / or more than 400 grams in weight. Other countries can vary from this classification. (The World Health Organization suggests 22 weeks and 500 grams in birth weight).
Sometimes a preterm baby is born because the labour is induced or a Caesarean is performed to end the pregnancy early. This is called an 'elective preterm birth' and can happen if the mother and / or the baby are very unwell, leading to a decision by the caregiver to deliver the baby(s), even though they are premature.
Careful consideration goes into weighing up the health of the mother and / or baby(s) as well as the baby's estimated
gestation and weight. It usually boils down to the belief, on balance, that the baby(s) are better off 'out than in.' Elective preterm births account for approximately 25 to 40% of preterm births.
The World Health Organization classifies preterm babies into 3 categories.