The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that a normal term for a pregnancy is 40 weeks. Premature birth is when a baby is born at 37 weeks or earlier. There are significant risks that a premature infant may be affected physically and/or developmentally. Premature birth is a common problem: according to the CDC one in every eight babies in the United States is born prematurely. The first year medical costs are on average 10 times those of a normal infant.
Physical Complications
There are multiple physical complications that may affect a premature infant. Premature babies typically have a low birth weight, according to the online medical encyclopedia MedlinePlus. MedlinePlus also reports other physical complications that may affect the infant: genitalia abnormalities, such as an enlarged clitoris in females and a small scrotum in males; skin that is thin and shiny, and may appear transparent; weak cry; unusual activity or inactivity and low body temperature. The Mayo Clinic's list of possible complications of premature birth includes intestinal, vision and hearing problems.
Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome
MedlinePlus reports that a premature infant may have breathing problems due to a condition called neonatal respiratory distress syndrome. There are multiple symptoms of this syndrome, including skin which is bluish in color; breathing that stops briefly; decreased output of urine; grunting; puffy and/or swollen arms or legs; rapid and/or shallow breathing and unusual movements while breathing, such as moving the chest muscles back during a breath.
Neurological Complications
Premature infants have a much higher risk of having neurological problems. The Mayo Clinic reports that premature infants have an increased risk of cerebral palsy. Premature babies may be affected by learning disabilities, which may cause deficiencies in school performance later in childhood. Premature infants may also have other problems that affect the brain, such as fluid accumulation (swelling) in the brain or bleeding in the brain. According to the Mayo Clinic, the risk of these problems occurring is especially high in babies who are born earlier than 28 weeks of gestation.
