
If body temperature drops too low, it can lead to a dangerous problem called hypothermia. And they can't make enough heat to counter what's lost through the surface of their bodies. They don't have the stored body fat of a full-term infant. Premature babies can lose body heat quickly. But some babies may have larger brain bleeding that causes permanent brain injury. Most hemorrhages are mild and resolve with little short-term impact. This is called an intraventricular hemorrhage. The earlier a baby is born, the greater the risk of bleeding in the brain. Low blood pressure may need to be treated with fluids given through a vein, medicines and sometimes blood transfusions. That's when the heart can't pump blood as well as it should. But without treatment it can lead to problems such as heart failure. This heart defect often closes on its own.


PDA is an opening between two important blood vessels, the aorta and the pulmonary artery. Some common heart problems that premature babies have are patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and low blood pressure. They need oxygen for a few weeks or months, but they often outgrow this problem. Some premature babies get a less common lung disorder called bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Most infants outgrow apnea by the time they go home from the hospital. It's common for preterm babies to have pauses in their breathing called apnea. This is a treatable problem called respiratory distress syndrome. If the baby's lungs lack a substance that allows the lungs to expand, the baby may have trouble getting enough air. A premature baby may have trouble breathing due to being born with lungs that aren't fully developed. In the first weeks, the complications of premature birth may include:īreathing problems. In general, the earlier a baby is born, the higher the risk of complications. But being born too early can cause short-term and long-term medical problems. Not all premature babies have health complications. In fact, many preterm births have no known risk factors. But premature birth can happen to anyone.

Your health care team can help you understand what's needed and what your baby's care plan will be. Your baby may need extra help feeding and adapting right after delivery. Special nursery units are staffed with health care providers and a team that's trained to help preterm babies. This is called a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).Ī step down from the NICU is an intermediate care nursery, which provides less intensive care. Some infants need to spend time in a unit that cares for them and closely tracks their health day and night. If you give birth to a preterm baby, your baby will likely need to stay in a special nursery unit at the hospital. Weight, length and head circumference by gestational age for girls Weight, length and head circumference by gestational age for boys The following tables show the median birth weight, length and head circumference of premature babies at different gestational ages for each sex. Low body temperature, mainly right after birth in the delivery room.Fine hair that covers much of 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.Small size, with a head that's large compared with the body.Some signs of being born too early include: Your baby may have very mild symptoms of premature birth or more-serious health problems.
