Premature birth

Premature birth

Also known as: Premature infant

Pregnancy normally lasts about 40 weeks. A baby born 3 or more weeks early is premature. Babies who are born closer to their due dates tend to have fewer problems, if any.

Babies who are born closer to 32 weeks (just over 7 months) may not be able to eat, breathe, or stay warm on their own. But after these babies have had time to grow, most of them can leave the hospital.

Babies born earlier than 26 weeks (just under 6 months) are the most likely to have serious problems. If your baby was born very small or sick, you may face a hard life-or-death decision about treatment.

Doctors and nurses often call premature babies “preemies.”

Providence Child Center provides a rich continuum of services for children with special needs. The center is home to: 

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Choose a category above to find details about related Providence services.

Services offered by Providence

Breastfeeding consultations

Consultations are private and last from 30 to 90 minutes and are covered by most insurance plans. More »

Pediatric follow-up clinics for high-risk infants

NICU therapy staff Children who were born prematurely or were very sick at birth have an increased risk for growth or feeding problems. In order More »

Pediatrics

Pediatricians are medical doctors who specialize in the care of children. Pediatricians can treat children with any type of problem, or they may sp More »

Forms & Information

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Baby’s feeding cues

How to know if your baby is hungry.

From the experts

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Caring for the pregnant woman presenting at periviable gestation: acknowledging the ambiguity and uncertainty

Counseling the periviable pregnant woman presenting at the edge of viability can often be confusing for the patient and frustrating for the clinician. Although neonatal survival rates have improved dramatically over the last few decades, severe morbidity is still common. This is further complicated by the fact that the information provided to the parents regarding the outcomes may not be up to date or completely accurate. The counseling is also frequently influenced by personal beliefs and biases of the medical staff.

An evidence based approach may improve the experience for both the expectant parents and the health care team.

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Counseling Pregnant Women Who May Deliver Extremely Premature Infants: Medical Care Guidelines, Family Choices, and Neonatal Outcomes

The goal of this report is to describe our experience implementing consensus medical staff guidelines used for counseling pregnant women threatening extremely premature birth and to give an account of family preferences and the immediate outcome of their infants.

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Medical Staff Guidelines for Periviability Pregnancy Counseling and Medical Treatment of Extremely Premature Infants

The goal of this report is to describe the collaborative formation of rational, practical, medical staff guidelines for the counseling and subsequent care of extremely early-gestation pregnancies and premature infants between 22 and 26 weeks.

Recommended Resources

Your Guide to Breastfeeding (Spanish)