Understanding Premature Birth: Risks, Causes & Development

Ideally, most babies spent approximately nine months growing in the womb before they are ready to be born. A premature baby is one born prior to 37 weeks of gestation.

Disabilities

• Many babies born prematurely are not at any more risk for developmental delays or disabilities than those born at full-term. The typical reasons for these types of complications are oxygen deprivation, infection, or brain damage while in the womb: not simply being born prematurely.

Infection

• Infections are more common in premature babies after they are born than in other children, partially because they have weak immune systems. Another reason is that they often have difficulty taking in nourishment. In order to reduce your child's risk for infection, make sure that he or she is meeting weight gain goals set by your pediatrician.

Growth

• By age two to three years, the majority of premature babies catch up to their peers in terms of physical growth. During this time, however, you may notice them lagging behind in terms of other milestones such as walking and speaking. As long as your pediatrician is aware your child was born prematurely, he or she should be able to help you adjust the dates of these milestones so that you know when to expect them.