In most systems of human pregnancy, the condition, premature birth (also known as a preterm birth), occurs when the baby is born within sooner than 36 weeks of completed gestation. The opposite condition, postmature birth, occurs when the baby is born more than 43 weeks after completed gestation. Image File history File links Gnome-globe. ... The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (most commonly known by the abbreviation ICD) provides codes to classify diseases and a wide variety of signs, symptoms, abnormal findings, complaints, social circumstances and external causes of injury or disease. ... The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision (ICD-10) is a coding of diseases and signs, symptoms, abnormal findings, complaints, social circumstances and external causes of injury or diseases, as classified by the World Health Organization (WHO). ... // O00-O99 - Pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O08) Pregnancy with abortive outcome (O00) Ectopic pregnancy (O01) Hydatidiform mole (O02) Other abnormal products of conception (O03) Spontaneous abortion (O04) Medical abortion (O05) Other abortion (O06) Unspecified abortion (O07) Failed attempted abortion (O08) Complications following abortion and ectopic and molar pregnancy... The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (most commonly known by the abbreviation ICD) provides codes to classify diseases and a wide variety of signs, symptoms, abnormal findings, complaints, social circumstances and external causes of injury or disease. ... The following is a list of codes for International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems. ... The Disease Bold textDatabase is a free website that provides information about the relationships between medical conditions, symptoms, and medications. ... MedlinePlus (medlineplus. ... eMedicine is an online clinical medical knowledge base that was founded in 1996. ... A pregnant woman near the end of her term Pregnancy is the carrying of one or more embryos or fetuses by female mammals, including humans, inside their bodies. ... The term baby can refer to: an infant a very early computer—the Small-Scale Experimental Machine, nicknamed Baby a musician – Brian Williams – who performs under the name Baby. ... Gestation is the carrying of an embryo or fetus inside a female viviparous animal. ... A postmature birth occurs when a pregnancy lasts longer than 42 weeks. ...

About

Premature birth (also known as preterm birth) is defined medically as childbirth occurring earlier than 37 completed weeks of gestation. Most pregnancies last about 40 weeks. About 12 percent of babies in the United States — or 1 in 8 — are born prematurely each year. ^[1] In 2003, more than 490,000 babies in the U.S. were born prematurely. Worldwide rates of prematurity are more difficult to obtain as the lack of widespread professional obstetric care in developing regions makes determination of gestational age less reliable. The World Health Organization instead tracks rates of low birth weight, which occurred in 16.5 percent of births in less developed regions in 2000.^[2] It is estimated that one-third of these low birth weight deliveries is due to prematurity. Childbirth (also called labour, birth, partus or parturition) is the culmination of a human pregnancy with the emergence of a newborn infant/s from the mothers uterus. ... Gestation is the carrying of an embryo or fetus inside a female viviparous animal. ... A pregnant woman near the end of her term Pregnancy is the carrying of one or more embryos or fetuses by female mammals, including humans, inside their bodies. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Obstetrics (from the Latin obstare, to stand by) is the surgical specialty dealing with the care of a woman and her offspring during pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (the period shortly after birth). ... Gestational age is age of a fetus (or newborn infant) from presumed conception. ... Baby weighed as AGA Birth weight is the weight of a baby at its birth. ...

The shorter the term of pregnancy, the greater the risks of complications. Infants born prematurely have an increased risk of death in the first year of life (infant mortality), with most of that occurring in the first month of life (neonatal mortality). Worldwide, prematurity accounts for 10% of neonatal mortality, or around 500,000 deaths per year.^[3] In the U.S. where many of the infectious and other causes of neonatal death have been markedly reduced, prematurity is the leading cause of neonatal mortality at 25%.^[4] Prematurely born infants are also at greater risk for developing serious health problems such as: cerebral palsy, chronic lung disease, gastrointestinal problems, mental retardation, vision and hearing loss.^[5] It has also been shown that premature babies are prone to developing depression as teenagers. ^[6] The international levels of infant mortality, depicted as the number of deaths in a thousand births. ... Perinatal mortality (PNM), also perinatal death, refers to the death of a fetus or neonate and is the basis to calculate the perinatal mortality rate. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... This page meets Wikipedias criteria for speedy deletion. ... For the Physics term GUT, please refer to Grand unification theory The gastrointestinal or digestive tract, also referred to as the GI tract or the alimentary canal or the gut, is the system of organs within multicellular animals which takes in food, digests it to extract energy and nutrients, and... Mental retardation is a term for a pattern of persistently slow learning of basic motor and language skills (milestones) during childhood, and a significantly below-normal global intellectual capacity as an adult. ... Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or psychological factors. ... This article discusses the way the word deaf is used and how deafness is perceived by hearing and Deaf communities. ... Clinical depression (also called major depressive disorder, or unipolar depression when compared to bipolar disorder) is a state of intense sadness, melancholia or despair that has advanced to the point of being disruptive to an individuals social functioning and/or activities of daily living. ...

Although there are several known risk factors for prematurity (see below), nearly half of all premature births have no known cause. When conditions permit, doctors may attempt to stop premature labor, so that the pregnancy can have a chance to continue to full term, thereby increasing the baby's chances of health and survival. However, there is currently no reliable means to stop or prevent preterm labor in all cases. In fact, the rate of preterm births in the United States has actually increased 30% in the past two decades.^[7]

In developed countries premature infants are usually cared for in a special section of the hospital known as the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). The physicians who specialize in the care of very sick or premature babies are known as neonatologists. In the NICU, babies are kept in incubators (also called isolettes), which are bassinets enclosed in plastic with climate control equipment designed to keep babies warm and limit their exposure to germs. Modern neonatal intensive care involves sophisticated measurement of temperature, respiration, cardiac function, oxygenation, and even brain activity. Treatments may include fluids and nutrition through intravenous catheters, oxygen supplementation, mechanical ventilation support, and medications. In developing countries where advanced equipment and even electricity may not be available or reliable, simple measures such as kangaroo care (skin to skin warming), encouraging breastfeeding, and basic infection control measures can significantly reduce preterm morbidity and mortality. A newborn infant sleeping in his incubator. ... Neonatology is a subspecialty of pediatrics defined as the care of the ill or premature newborn infant. ... The word incubation (from Latin incubare, to lie upon - cf. ... Modern reproduction of a medieval cot and rattle, c. ... Oxygenation refers to the amount of oxygen in a medium. ... Girl wearing electrodes for electroencephalography Person wearing electrodes for electroencephalography Portable recording device for electroencephalography Electroencephalography is the neurophysiologic measurement of the electrical activity of the brain by recording from electrodes placed on the scalp or, in special cases, subdurally or in the cerebral cortex. ... Intravenous therapy or IV therapy is the administration of liquid substances directly into a vein. ... General Name, Symbol, Number oxygen, O, 8 Chemical series nonmetals, chalcogens Group, Period, Block 16, 2, p Appearance colorless (gas) very pale blue (liquid) Standard atomic weight 15. ... mechanical or forced ventilation is the use of powered equipment, e. ... Kangaroo care is a way of holding a preterm infant so that there is skin-to-skin contact between the infant and the person holding it. ... Breastfeeding an infant Symbol for breastfeeding (Matt Daigle, Mothering magazine contest winner 2006) Breastfeeding is the feeding of an infant or young child with milk from a womans breasts. ... In medicine, epidemiology and actuarial science, the term morbidity can refer to the state of being diseased (from Latin morbidus: sick, unhealthy), the degree or severity of a disease, the prevalence of a disease: the total number of cases in a particular population at a particular point in time, the...

Many respected people were born prematurely, including Julius Ceasar and Charles Darwin.

Factors

There are many different factors which may contribute to a preterm birth.

Factors related to maternal disease or condition that have been shown to increase the risk of preterm birth, with associated odds ratio (OR) when known include:

• high blood pressure (OR = 4.06) (Goldenberg)
• preeclampsia (OR = 4.0) (Banhidy)
• age > 35 (OR = 1.8) (Martius)
• age < 18 (OR = 3.4) (Martius)
• short cervix (Goldenberg)
• maternal diabetes (Rosenberberger)
• anxiety (Dole)
• periodontal disease (OR = 4.45%) (Jeffcoat)

Whether or not urinary tract infections directly cause preterm birth is uncertain, however, it is known that urinary tract infections increase pre-eclampsia which as stated above increases the risk of preterm birth. Sexually transmitted disease STD, Beta Strep, kidney disease, and uterine infections are also suspected of increasing the risk of preterm birth. Arterial hypertension, or high blood pressure is a medical condition where the blood pressure is chronically elevated. ... Periodontitis a disease involving inflammation of the gums (gingiva), often persisting unnoticed for years or decades in a patient, that results in loss of bone around teeth. ... The urinary system is a system of organs, tubes, muscles, and nerves that work together to create, store, and carry, urine. ... STD is an abbreviation used in several different contexts that stand for different terms. ... Some microbiological techniques use the appearance of bacterial colonies on culture media to help identify the species of organisms that have been isolated. ...

Adequate nutrition is key to helping deliver at full term. Studies have shown that a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol could help reduce the risk of a preterm delivery. (BMJ: British Medical Journal) The updated USDA food pyramid, published in 2005, is a general nutrition guide for recommended food consumption. ...

Factors related to pregnancy history that have been shown to increase the risk of preterm birth include:

• prior preterm delivery (OR = 2.79)
• prior induced abortion (OR = 1.6)
• antepartum hemorrhage / vaginal bleeding during labor (Hanagan)
• prior miscarriage (Goldenberg)

Multiple pregnancies (twins, triplets, etc.) are another significant factor in preterm birth. The March of Dimes Multicenter Prematurity and Prevention Study found that 54% of twins were delivered preterm vs. 9.6% of singleton births. (Gardner) Miscarriage or spontaneous abortion is the natural or accidental termination of a pregnancy at a stage where the embryo or the fetus is incapable of surviving, generally defined at a gestation of prior to 20 weeks. ... Fraternal twin boys in the tub The term twin most notably refers to two individuals (or one of two individuals) who have shared the same uterus (womb) and usually, but not necessarily, born on the same day. ...

Women who have tried to conceive for more than a year before getting pregnant are at a higher risk for premature birth. A recent study done by Dr. Olga Basso of the University of Aarhus in Denmark and Dr. Donna Baird of the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences suggests that women who had difficulty conceiving were about 40 percent higher risk of preterm birth than those who had conceived easily. For the meteorite Aarhus, see Meteorite falls. ...

Finally, the use of tobacco and alcohol during pregnancy also increases the chance of preterm delivery. Tobacco is the most commonly abused drug during pregnancy and also contributes significantly to low birth weight delivery.(Shino) (Parazzini) This article is about the product manufactured from Tobacco plants (Nicotiana spp. ... Functional group of an alcohol molecule. ...

Prevention of preterm birth

Some newer research has identified possible methods to prevent preterm birth, pre-eclampsia/eclampsia, premature rupture of membranes, and preterm labor.

This research includes self-care methods to reduce infections, nutritional and psychological interventions, and the control of preterm birth risk factors (eg. working long hours while standing on feet, carbon monoxide exposure, domestic abuse, and other factors). Injection with a form of progesterone (17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate), taking fish oil supplements, and self-monitoring vaginal PH followed by yogurt treatment or Clindamycin treatment if the PH was too high all are effective at reducing the risk of preterm birth. ^{[8] [9]}

This research is quite new; however, doctors using these newer strategies have obtained preterm birth rates as low as 1 to 2%, compared to the 11 to 16% currently in the US.^{[citation needed]}

Symptoms and indications

The symptoms of an imminent premature birth include:

• Four or more uterine contractions in one hour, before 37 weeks' gestation.
• A watery discharge from the vagina which may indicate premature rupture of the membranes surrounding the baby.
• Pressure in the pelvis or the sensation that the baby has "dropped".
• Menstrual cramps or abdominal pain.
• Pain or rhythmic tightening in lower abdomen or back.
• Vaginal spotting or bleeding.

In medicine (obstetrics), a contraction is a forceful motion of the uterus, generated by the release of oxytocin (quick labor) by the pituitary gland, culminating in childbirth. ... The pelvis (pl. ... Menstrual cycle. ...

Maternal treatments

There are two tactics that can be used to deal with a potential premature birth: delay the arrival of birth as much as possible, or prepare the prospectively premature fetus for arrival. Both of these tactics may be used simultaneously.

Delaying the premature birth from occurring is typically the most favored option. This gives the fetus or fetuses as much time as possible to mature in the womb. There are a number of techniques that can be used to try to accomplish this. The first resort is usually complete bed rest. Maintaining a horizontal position reduces pressure on the cervix, which may allow it to stay lengthened longer, and avoiding unnecessary movement may reduce uterine irritation, which can lead to contractions. Likewise, proper nutrition and especially hydration are important: dehydration can lead to premature uterine contractions. In a hospital setting, a drug-free IV drip may be used to try to stop premature labor simply by improving the mother's hydration. Lastly, there are anti-contraction medications (tocolytics), such as ritodrine, fenoterol, nifedipine and atosiban. Schematic frontal view of female anatomy The cervix (from Latin neck) is the lower, narrow portion of the uterus where it joins with the top end of the vagina. ... Tocolytics are medications used to suppress premature labor (from the Greek tokos, childbirth, and lytic, capable of dissolving). ... Ritodrine hydrochloride (Yutopar®) is a tocolytic drug, used to stop premature labor. ... Nifedipine (brand name Adalat and Procardia) is a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker. ... Atosiban (Tractocile®) is an inhibitor of the hormone oxytocin, and is used in premature labor. ...

Premature birth can not always be prevented. Severely premature infants may have underdeveloped lungs, because they are not yet producing their own surfactant. This can lead directly to Respiratory Distress Syndrome, also called hyaline membrane disease, in the neonate. To try to reduce the risk of this outcome, pregnant mothers are routinely administered at least one course of glucocorticoids, a steroid that easily passes the placental barrier and stimulates growth in the lungs of the fetus. Typical glucocorticoids that would be administered in this context are betamethasone or dexamethasone, often when the fetus has reached viability at 23 weeks. In cases where premature birth is imminent, a second "rescue" dose of steroids may be administered 12 to 24 hours before the anticipated birth. There is no research consensus on the efficacy and side-effects of a second dose of steroids, but the consequences of RDS are so severe that a second dose is often viewed as worth the risk. Surfactants are wetting agents that lower the surface tension of a liquid, allowing easier spreading, and lower the interfacial tension between two liquids. ... Infant respiratory distress syndrome (RDS, also called Respiratory distress syndrome of newborn, previously called hyaline membrane disease), is a syndrome caused by developmental lack of surfactant and structural immaturity in the lungs of premature infants. ... The name glucocorticoid derives from early observations that these hormones were involved in glucose metabolism. ... Betamethasone dipropionate is a corticosteroid with anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive abilities, used especially where water retention is undesirable. ... Dexamethasone is a potent synthetic member of the glucocorticoid class of steroid hormones. ...

Newborn complications

Premature infants show physical signs of their prematurity and may develop other problems as well. These include, but are not limited to, the following:

Neurologic

• Apnea of prematurity
• Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE)
• Intracranial hemorrhage
• Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP)
• Developmental disability

Cardiovascular Apnea of prematurity is defined as cessation of breathing that lasts for more than 15 seconds and is accompanied by hypoxia or bradycardia. ... Intra-axial hemorrhages, or intra-axial hematomas, are a subtype of intracranial hemorrhage that occur within the brain tissue itself. ... Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), previously known as retrolental fibroplasia (RLF), is a disease of the eye that affects prematurely born babies. ... Developmental disability is a term used to describe life-long disabilities attributable to mental and/or physical or combination of mental and physical impairments, manifested prior to age twenty-two. ...

• Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)

Respiratory Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a congenital heart defect wherein a childs ductus arteriosus fails to close after birth. ...

• Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS or IRDS)
• Chronic lung disease (previously called bronchopulmonary dysplasia or BPD)

Gastrointestinal / metabolic Infant respiratory distress syndrome (RDS, also called Respiratory distress syndrome of newborn, previously called hyaline membrane disease), is a syndrome caused by developmental lack of surfactant and structural immaturity in the lungs of premature infants. ... This page meets Wikipedias criteria for speedy deletion. ...

• Hypoglycemia
• Feeding difficulties
• Rickets of prematurity
• Hypocalcemia
• Inguinal hernia
• Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC)

Hematologic Hypoglycemia (hypoglycæmia in the UK) is a medical term referring to a pathologic state produced by a lower than normal amount of sugar (glucose) in the blood. ... Rickets is a softening of the bones in children potentially leading to fractures and deformity. ... In medicine, hypocalcaemia is the presence of less than a total calcium of 2. ... Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a medical condition primarily seen in premature infants, where portions of the bowel undergo necrosis (tissue death). ...

• Anemia of prematurity
• Thrombocytopenia
• Hyperbilirubinemia (jaundice)

Infectious Anemia of prematurity is a normochromic, normocytic anemia commonly seen in premature infants cared for in the neonatal intensive care unit. ... Thrombocytopenia (or -paenia, or thrombopenia in short) is the presence of relatively few platelets in blood. ... Jaundice, technically known as icterus, is yellowing of the skin, sclera (eyes) and mucous membranes caused by increased levels of bilirubin in the system. ...

• Sepsis
• Urinary tract infection ^[1]

The earliest gestational age at which the infant has at least a 50% chance of survival is referred to as the limit of viability^[2]. As NICU care has improved over the last 40 years, viability has reduced to approximately 24 weeks, although rare survivors have been documented as early as 21 weeks.[3] As risk of brain damage and developmental delay is significant at that threshold even if the infant survives, there are ethical controversies over the aggressiveness of the care rendered to such infants. The limit of viability has also become a factor in the abortion debate. Sepsis (in Greek Σήψις, putrefaction) is a serious medical condition, resulting from the immune response to a severe infection. ... A urinary tract infection (UTI) is a bacterial infection that affects any part of the urinary tract. ... Gestational age is age of a fetus (or newborn infant) from presumed conception. ... The limit of viability is the gestational age at which a fetus/infant has a good chance of surviving outside its mothers womb without major impairment. ... Medical ethics is the study of moral values as they apply to medicine. ...

Some of the complications related to prematurity are not apparent until years after the birth. For example, children who were born prematurely (especially if born less than 1500 grams) have a higher likelihood of having behavioral problems, delays in motor development, and difficulties in school. Throughout life they are more likely to require services provided by physical therapists, occupational therapists or speech therapists.

Treatment measures for a premature infant

The required care for premature infants differs greatly depending on the child's gestational age, birth weight, and overall maturity. Measures common among extremely premature infants include:

• Placing the infant in a warmer or isolette. Premature infants are easily susceptible to cold-stress or hypothermia and infection, and preventing these is a key priority.
• Infants under 32 weeks typically do not produce enough surfactant in their lungs to enable them to breathe on their own. In these cases, surfactant will be administered to assist them.
• In extremely premature infants, a breathing tube may be inserted in the infant's trachea, and a ventilator and supplemental oxygen may be used.
• Adequate nutrition, via a feeding tube or, in extremely premature infants, intravenously. If a feeding tube is used, expressed breast milk from the mother or a breastmilk bank can be used, which lowers the risk of infections such as necrotizing enterocolitis.

Hypothermia refers to any condition in which the temperature of a body drops below the level required for normal metabolism and/or bodily function to take place. ... Diagram of the alveoli with both cross-section and external view Pulmonary surfactant is a surface-active lipoprotein complex formed by type II alveolar cells. ... Diagram of an endotracheal tube (10) that has been inserted into the airway of a patient. ... A feeding tube is a medical device used to provide nutrition to patients who cannot or refuse to (cf. ... It has been suggested that the section Benefits for the infant from the article Breastfeeding be merged into this article or section. ... According to a joint statement of WHO and UNICEF The best food for a baby who cannot be breastfed is milk expressed from the mother’s breast or from another healthy mother….The best food for any baby whose own mother’s milk is not available is the breastmilk of... Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a medical condition primarily seen in premature infants, where portions of the bowel undergo necrosis (tissue death). ...

Prematurity and the parent

Adjustment after preterm birth for parents can be very difficult. The NICU setting is foreign and often intimidating and scary. Additionally, parents often have difficulty becoming involved in their child's care because of the NICU setting. This affects the parents transition into parenthood because they are unable to fulfill their expected roles. Furthermore, often premature birth is accompanied by a difficult NICU course and therefore parents are forced to confront difficult decisions about their child's care. Studies have shown that the transition to parenthood for parents of preterm infants follows a different and longer course than that of parents with term infants.

In a study by Jackson et al (2003)^[4] researchers found that both mothers and fathers travel a course from alienation to responsibility to confidence to familiarity in approximately the first 18 months of the child's life.

In a separate study by McHaffie^[5], researchers found that parents of very low birth weight infants (<1500g/3.3lbs) follow a similar but slightly different course, likely because their infants tend to be more in peril. Mothers travel from anticipatory grief to anxious waiting to positive anticipation while the infant is in the NICU. After discharge the mother travels from anxious adjustment to exhausted accommodation to confident caring, usually within the first three months following discharge.

Records

The earliest premature baby known to have survived as of May 2007 was a female born on 24 October 2006 in Miami, Florida, at 21 weeks gestation.^[10] At birth she was 9 inches (23 cm) long and weighed 10 ounces (283 grams).^[11] She suffered digestive and respiratory problems, together with a brain hemorrhage. She was discharged^[11] from the Baptist Children's Hospital on 20 February 2007. October 24 is the 297th day of the year (298th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... This article is about the city in Florida. ... Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Largest metro area Miami Area  Ranked 22nd  - Total 65,795[1] sq mi (170,304[1] km²)  - Width 361 miles (582 km)  - Length 447 miles (721 km)  - % water 17. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Respiration is a term used for the words in both biochemistry and physiology, and may refer to: Cellular respiration, the process in the chemical bonds of energy-rich molecules such as glucose are converted into energy usable for life processes. ... Italic text // ahh addiing sum spiice iin hurr`` For other uses, see Brain (disambiguation). ... Blood from a finger Bleeding is the loss of blood from the body. ... February 20 is the 51st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...

The record for the smallest premature baby to survive was held for some time by a child born at 26 weeks weighing 9.9 oz (280g) and 9.5 inches (24cm) long^[12]. This record was broken in September 2004 by another child who was born in the same hospital^[13] at 25 weeks gestation. The new record holder was a twin where as the former was a single birth. At birth she was eight inches (20 cm) long and weighed 244 grams (8.6 ounces). She has a twin sister, also a small baby, weighing 563 grams (1 pound 4 ounces) at birth. During pregnancy their mother had suffered from pre-eclampsia, which causes dangerously high blood pressure putting the baby into distress and leading to birth by caesarean section. The larger twin left the hospital at the end of December, while the smaller remained there until 10 February 2005 by which time her weight had increased to 1.18kg (2 pounds 10 ounces)^[14]. Generally healthy, the twins had to undergo laser eye surgery to correct visual problems, a common occurrence among premature babies. September 2004 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December See also: September 2004 in sports Events Deaths in September • 27 Tsai Wan-lin • 24 Françoise Sagan • 20 Brian Clough • 18 Russ Meyer • 15 Johnny Ramone • 12 Fred Ebb • 11 Peter VII of Alexandria • 8... BIC pen cap, about 1 gram. ... The ounce (abbreviation: oz) is the name of a unit of mass in a number of different systems, including various systems of mass that form part of English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... Fraternal twin boys bathing Identical Twin Girls Sleeping Twins in animal biology is a form of multiple birth in which the mother gives birth to two offspring from the same pregnancy, some of the same gender, others of opposite. ... A pregnant woman near the end of her term Pregnancy is the carrying of one or more embryos or fetuses by female mammals, including humans, inside their bodies. ... Pre-eclampsia (US: preeclampsia) is said to be present when hypertension arises in pregnancy (pregnancy-induced hypertension) in association with significant protein in the urine. ... A sphygmomanometer, a device used for measuring blood pressure. ... // There can be many baby defects within a baby C section. ... February 10 is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... // A human eye. ...

See also

• Macrophage-activation syndrome
• WalkAmerica an annual walking-for-charity event that has raised more than $1.7 billion since 1970 to prevent premature birth

Macrophage-activation syndrome (MAS) is a severe, potentially life-threatening, complication of several chronic rheumatic diseases of childhood. ... The March of Dimes WalkAmerica began in 1970 as the first charitable walking event in the United States. ...

Notes

1. ^ Martin JA, Hamilton BE, Sutton PD, Ventura SJ, Menacker F, Kirmeyer S. “Births: Final Data for 2004.” National Vital Statistics Reports, vol. 55, no 1. Hyattsville, Maryland: National Center for Health Statistics, 2006.
2. ^ http://www.who.int/research/en/
3. ^ Child Health Research Project Special Report. "Reducing Perinatal and Neonatal Mortality." Meeting Report, vol. 3, no 1. Baltimore, Maryland, May 10-12, 1999.
4. ^ Mathew TJ and MacDorman MF. "Infant Mortality Statistics from the 2003 Period Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set." National Vital Statistics Reports, vol. 54, no 16. Hyattsville, Maryland: National Center for Health Statistics, 2006.
5. ^ March of Dimes. The Growing Problem of Prematurity. October 2006.
6. ^ The Age Depression Linked to Premature Birth. May 2004.
7. ^ Mayo Clinic. Premature Birth. 6 Nov 2006.
8. ^ Lamont RF and Jaggat AN. Emerging drug therapies for preventing spontaneous preterm labor and preterm birth. Expert Opin Investig Drugs. 2007 16:337-45. PMID 17302528
9. ^ Hoyme UB and Saling E. Efficient prematurity prevention is possible by pH-self measurement and immediate therapy of threatening ascending infection. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2004 115:148-53. PMID 15262346
10. ^ "Premature births: A miraculous survival story", The Independent Online, 2007-02-21. 
11. ^ ^{a b} "Most-premature baby allowed home", BBC News, 2007-02-21. Retrieved on 2007-05-05. 
12. ^ http://www.hindu.com/seta/2004/08/26/stories/2004082600411400.htm
13. ^ http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/02/08/health/main672488.shtml
14. ^ CBS News. 8 February 2005. World's Smallest Baby Goes Home

2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... February 21 is the 52nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... February 21 is the 52nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... May 5 is the 125th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (126th in leap years). ... February 8 is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Bibliography

• Khader YS, Ta’ani Q (February 2005). "Periodontal diseases and the risk of preterm birth and low birth weight: a meta-analysis". J Periodontol 76 (2): 161–165. DOI:10.1902/jop.2005.76.2.161. PMID 15974837. 
• Rosenberg, Terry J., Samantha Garbers, Heather Lipkind, and Mary A. Chiasson (September 2005). "Maternal Obesity and Diabetes as Risk Factors for Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes: Differences Among 4 Racial/Ethnic Groups". American Journal of Public Health 95 (9): 1545–1551. DOI:10.2105/AJPH.2005.065680. 
• Dole, N, D A. Savitz, I Hertz-Picciotto, A M. Siega-Riz, M J. McMahon, and P Buekens (2003). "Maternal Stress and Preterm Birth" (PDF). Am J Epidemiol 157 (1): 14-24. PMID 12505886. 
• Banhidy, Ferenc, Nandor Acs, Erzsebet H. Puho, and Andrew E. Czeizel (2007). "Pregnancy Complications and Birth Outcomes of Pregnant Women with Urinary Tract Infections and Related Drug Treatments". Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases 39 (5): 390–397. DOI:10.1080/00365540601087566. 
• Goldenberg, Robert L., Jay D. Iams, Brian M. Mercer, Paul J. Meis, Atef H. Moawad, Rachel L. Cooper, Anita Das, Elizabeth Thom, Francee Johnson, Donald McNellis, Menachem Miodovnik, Peter J. Van Dorsten, Steve N. Caritis, Gary R. Thurnau, and Sidney F. Bottoms (1998). "The Preterm Prediction Study: the Value of New Vs Standard Risk Factors in Predicting Early and All Spontaneous Preterm Births" (PDF). American Journal of Public Health 88 (2): 233-238. PMID 9491013. 

Jeffcoat, Marjorie K., Nico C. Geurs, Michael S. Reddy, Suzanne P. Cliver, Robert L. Goldenberg, and John C. Hauth. "Periodontal Infection and Preterm Birth." The Journal of the American Dental Association 132 (2001): 875-880. 25 Apr. 2007 <http://jada.ada.org/cgi/content/abstract/132/7/875>. The Journal of Periodontology is the learned journal of the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP). ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... The American Journal of Public Health (AJPH) is a peer reviewed monthly journal of the American Public Health Association (APHA). ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ...

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External links

• Premature Babies Resource Centre from AboutKidsHealth.ca Information about the causes of prematurity, the challenges of premature birth, the development of the baby, and the long-term implication of prematurity.
• Prematurity - resource site from the March of Dimes
• Share Your Story - online community for NICU families, from the March of Dimes
• Prematurity - resource site for parents of premature infants and children
• Primer on Preemies - from the Nemours Foundation