Premature Birth and Birth Conditions
Premature birth is defined as when a baby is born before the start of the 37th week of pregnancy according to the Mayo Clinic. Most survivable preterm births are born during or after the 23rd week. The age of viability is defined as 24 weeks of gestation by most doctors according to Verywell Family. Babies who are born Premature often experience complications which can go away as they continue to develop or that are chronic life long conditions due to under development of their body during gestation.
Birth Conditions, which are more commonly called Birth Defects, are “structural changes present at birth that can affect almost any part or parts of the body.” This can “affect how the body looks and/or moves. Birth conditions range in severity from mild to severe. At Dmkbooks we prefer to use the term Birth Conditions instead of Birth Defects, in order to use person first language and to not negatively stereotype a baby as defective the second it is born as this language could be harmful to a child during their development.
Premature Birth and Birth Anomalies
Baby Center Financial Help for Preemies and their Families
Preterm Labor and Birth-Overview and Resources
Long Term effects of Premature Birth
Newborn Screening for Neuromuscular Diseases
Premature Survival Rate- Healthline
Extreme Preterm Birth-American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Premature Birth and Survival Statistics- Verywell Family
Birth Abnormalities (Defects)
Pub Med- Contribution of Birth Defects in Premature Birth
Video Resources
Preterm Complications,
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Preterm babies born before 23 weeks of pregnacy most often do not survive. Babies born between 23 and 25 weeks are called micro-preemies and have a 50% survival rate if born before 24 weeks. 40% of these babies will have some of the complications listed below (Healthline)
10% of preterm babies born at 28 weeks experience long-term complications including:
- breathing problems
- infections
- digestive problems
- blood problems
- kidney problems
- brain and nervous system problems like seizures
- Source Healthline
Types of Birth Abnormalities
- Congenital CMV (Cytomegalovirus) and Birth Defects
- Intraventricular Hemorrhage (IVH)
- Phenylketonuria
- Zika Virus and Pregnancy
- Spina Bifida
- Progeria: Hutchinson- Gilford Progeria (HGPS)
- Congenital Heart Defects (CHDs)
- Cleft Lips and Cleft Palates
- Cerebral Palsy
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG)
- Turner Syndrome
- Anencephaly
- Anophthalmia / Microphthalmia
- Anotia/Microtia
- Craniosynostosis
- Diaphragmatic Hernia
- Down Syndrome: Trisomy 21
- Encephalocele
- Esophageal Atresia
- Gastroschisis
- Hypospadias
- Other Chromosomal, Genetic and Rare Conditions
Resource Links
