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A Primer on Preemies

Premature infants, known as preemies, come into the world earlier than full-term infants. Prematurity occurs when a pregnancy lasts fewer than 37 weeks; full-term infants are born 38 to 42 weeks after the mother's last menstrual period (LMP).

There are many causes of preterm delivery. Sometimes it's caused by the mother's lifestyle choices during pregnancy: smoking, drinking alcohol, using drugs, eating poorly, not gaining enough weight, exposure to physical stress, and poor prenatal care are all causes of preterm delivery.

Premature infants, known as preemies, come into the world earlier than full-term infants. Prematurity occurs when a pregnancy lasts fewer than 37 weeks; full-term infants are born 38 to 42 weeks after the mother's last menstrual period (LMP).

There are many causes of preterm delivery. Sometimes it's caused by the mother's lifestyle choices during pregnancy: smoking, drinking alcohol, using drugs, eating poorly, not gaining enough weight, exposure to physical stress, and poor prenatal care are all causes of preterm delivery.

Often, however, the cause is not within the mother's control. The mother could have a hormone imbalance, a structural abnormality of the uterus, a chronic illness, an infection, or several other things that could lead to a premature birth. In addition, preterm delivery is more likely when a woman is over age 35, under age 19, or is carrying multiple fetuses. And sometimes the cause is simply unknown.
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