What is the difference between premature and preterm

Talk with your doctor about signs of preterm labor and what to do. Pregnancy and Medical Conditions Prior preterm birth Infection Carrying more than 1 baby twins, triplets, or more. Preventing preterm birth remains a challenge because there are many causes of preterm birth, and because causes may be complex and not always well understood. However, pregnant women can take important steps to help reduce their risk of preterm birth and improve their general health.

These steps are to—. Another step women and their partners can take to reduce the risk of preterm birth is waiting at least 18 months between pregnancies external icon. Women who conceive through ART are at higher risk for preterm birth, primarily because they are more likely to be pregnant with more than one baby at a time.

Important growth and development occur throughout pregnancy—all the way through the final few weeks. Unless there is a medical need, delivery should not be scheduled before 39 weeks of pregnancy. CDC scientists are collaborating with many partners, including state health departments, university researchers, and other health care professionals to understand why preterm births occur and what can be done to help prevent them.

Read about our preterm birth activities. The November session, Public Health Strategies to Prevent Preterm Birth, discusses how concerted efforts to improve surveillance data, better medical care and prevention, and stronger public health partnerships, can accelerate progress in reducing preterm births and improving neonatal outcomes.

View the archived presentation and publication. Top of Page. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Reproductive Health. Section Navigation. Preemies often need special care after leaving the NICU, sometimes in a high-risk newborn clinic or early intervention program.

Depending on their health, they may need care from specialists, such as doctors who treat problems with the brain and nervous system neurologists , eyes ophthalmologists , and lungs pulmonologists. Preemies must go to all doctor visits including well-child checkups , get the vaccines that all babies need to stay healthy, and have routine hearing and eye exams.

As your little one grows, doctors will check your baby's:. Take care of yourself by eating well, resting when you can, and getting exercise. Spend one-on-one time with your other children when you can, and get help from others. Look for support from friends, family, and support groups. You also can get support online from groups such as:. Reviewed by: Lynn M. Fuchs, MD. 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?

Knowing the differences between full-term and premature newborns can be helpful if your baby makes an early appearance. If your baby is born prematurely prior to 37 weeks gestation , there are a few key differences you should expect compared to a full-term newborn. Eleven to 13 percent of all pregnancies result in premature birth, and are often categorized in the following ways:.

Knowing what to anticipate can be really helpful if your baby makes an early appearance in the world, mama. Here are five major differences you can expect between a premature baby and a full-term baby. A premature baby can weigh anywhere from one pound to 5 pounds. It can be a bit overwhelming to see such a tiny baby, especially for the first time.

Rest assured they are pint size babies with 10 fingers and 10 toes.