Premature birth

Premature birth
A birth that takes place before 37 weeks of gestation have passed. Historically, the definition of prematurity was 2500 grams (about 5 1/2 pounds) or less at birth. The current World Health Organization definition of prematurity is a baby born before 37 weeks of gestation, counting from the first day of the Last Menstrual Period (the LMP). Premature birth carries greater risks the earlier it occurs before that 37-week goal. Many procedures are available to prevent early birth, from bed rest to medications. If premature birth is medically necessary or inevitable, however, it may be accomplished via C-section to limit stress on the fetus and protect it from damage.

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preterm birth birth of an infant before 37 completed weeks (259 days) of gestation.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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  • Premature birth — ] *anxietycite journal |author=Dole N, Savitz DA, Hertz Picciotto I, Siega Riz AM, McMahon MJ, Buekens P |title=Maternal stress and preterm birth |journal=Am. J. Epidemiol. |volume=157 |issue=1 |pages=14–24 |year=2003 |pmid=12505886… …   Wikipedia

  • premature birth — Birth less than 37 weeks after conception. Infants born as early as 23–24 weeks may survive but many face lifelong disabilities (e.g., cerebral palsy, blindness, deafness). Premature infants account for 8–9% of live births but two thirds of… …   Universalium

  • premature birth and postmature birth — ▪ medicine       in humans, respectively, any birth that occurs significantly before or after the expected date of delivery.       A premature birth is defined as one that occurs less than 37 weeks after conception. In the United States… …   Universalium

  • premature birth — noun a) The birth of an infant prior to the completion of its prenatal development. b) Childbirth occurring earlier than 37 completed weeks of gestation, but later than 20th week, which is regarded a miscarriage. See Also: preemie, preterm birth …   Wiktionary

  • premature birth — see preterm birth …   The new mediacal dictionary

  • premature birth — A birth occurring before the expiration of the natural period of pregnancy. Sullivan v Old Colony Street R. Co. 197 Mass 512, 83 NE 1091. See miscarriage …   Ballentine's law dictionary

  • birth — W2S2 [bə:θ US bə:rθ] n [Date: 1200 1300; : Old Norse; Origin: byrth] 1.) give birth (to sb) if a woman gives birth, she produces a baby from her body ▪ Patsy was celebrating last night after giving birth to twins. 2.) [U and C] the time when a… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • premature — premature, untimely, forward, advanced, precocious are comparable though rarely interchangeable when they mean unduly early in coming, happening, or developing. Premature applies usually to something which takes place before its due or proper… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Premature — Pre ma*ture , a. [L. praematurus; prae before + maturus ripe. See {Mature}.] 1. Mature or ripe before the proper time; as, the premature fruits of a hotbed. [1913 Webster] 2. Happening, arriving, existing, or performed before the proper or usual… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Birth — is the act or process of bearing or bringing forth offspring [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/birth] . The offspring is brought forth from the mother. Different forms of birth are oviparity, vivipary or ovovivipary.Two words used to… …   Wikipedia

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