what does preterm mean in babies
when a mum to be is pregnant the pregnancy should progress to last approx 40 week gestation,then baby will have gone full term and will be delivered weighing a very good size in weight.The average weight of a full term infant is 7 and half pounds.Babies can however weigh a little more or a little less at birth.
A preterm baby will not have reached full term before being delivered and under 37 weeks of pregnancy is classed as born premature.
preterm babies do no have the maturity of some inner organs to function normally than if they had been delivered at full term.
the earlier the delivery of the preterm baby the more support baby will need by being cared for by the neonatal intensive care unit until well enough to go home from the hospital.