Premature Infant

A premature infant is any infant born before 37 weeks gestation.

Causes, Incidence, And Risk Factors of A Premature Infant:

Every newborn is classified at birth as one of the following: premature infant (less than 37 weeks gestation), full-term (37 to 42 weeks gestation), or post-term (born after 42 weeks gestation).

A multiple pregnancy (the presence of more than one fetus in the uterus, twins etc.) is one possible cause of a premature infant.

The problems encountered by a premature infant are related to the immaturity of the organ systems. The infant requires specialized care in a nursery until his or her organ systems have developed enough to sustain life without specialized support. Depending on the extent of prematurity, this may take weeks to months.

Treatment of A Premature Infant

When premature labor develops and cannot be stopped by medical intervention, plans for appropriate management of a premature infant and the mother are made, which may involve transport of the mother to a center with facilities to care for a premature infant, i.e. a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). In some cases, steroids may be given to the mother in order to facilitate lung maturity in the premature infant.

The infant is placed under a warmer or in an isolette with controlled temperatures where careful observation and care can be given.

Feeding may be administered by inserting a tube into the stomach, since infants are usually unable to coordinate sucking and swallowing before 34 weeks gestation. Intravenous feeding may be indicated in extremely premature infants.

Nursery care is needed until the premature infant is able to take oral feedings, maintain body temperature, and achieve a body weight of about 5 pounds. However, other problems may complicate treatment, especially for very small infants, which could prolong the hospital stay.

Learn more about premature infants at the Brenner Children’s Hospital web site.

Premature Infant