Preterm birth

Preterm birth is the birth of an infant before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy. Its effects range from few complications to serious challenges involving survival and long-term development.

Gestational age: The age of a pregnancy, measured from the first day of the last menstrual period. Preterm birth is defined by gestational age at delivery, not by infant size.
Full-term birth: Birth occurring from 39 weeks through 40 weeks and 6 days of pregnancy. It provides a standard comparison for outcomes after birth before 37 weeks.
Antenatal corticosteroids: Medications given before anticipated preterm birth to accelerate fetal lung maturation. They can reduce respiratory complications when early delivery is likely.
Retinopathy of prematurity: A disorder of abnormal retinal blood-vessel development in premature infants. The immature retina can be injured by altered oxygen exposure after early birth.
Spontaneous preterm birth: Preterm birth following spontaneous labor or preterm rupture of the fetal membranes. Its causes are varied, making prediction and prevention difficult.
Preterm labor: Labor that begins before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy. It is a common pathway to preterm birth, though early delivery can also be medically initiated.
Late preterm birth: Birth from 34 weeks through 36 weeks and 6 days of pregnancy. This category shows that preterm birth includes infants born close to term, not only extremely early.
Magnesium sulfate: A medication used before anticipated very early birth to reduce the risk of cerebral palsy. Fetal neuroprotection is a key intervention when very preterm delivery is expected.
Intraventricular hemorrhage: Bleeding into the brain's fluid-filled ventricles, especially in very premature newborns. Fragile brain vessels make this an important complication of extreme prematurity.
Medically indicated preterm birth: Preterm delivery initiated because continuing pregnancy poses serious risks to the pregnant person or fetus. Some early births are necessary treatment decisions rather than preventable spontaneous labor.

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