A birth that occurs after the 6th month of pregnancy, but before the end of the normal term.
The birth of a baby earlier than 37 weeks from conception.
The delivery of a baby before or during the 37th week of pregnancy. Smaller and more fragile than full-term babies, premature infants often must be closely monitored in neonatal centers, where they sleep in incubators that carefully control oxygen, temperature, and humidity. Because they are not fully developed, they are at increased risk of having breathing and liver problems, low blood sugar levels, and infection and bleeding.
Birth of a baby before full term. Since the date of conception is often not precisely known, a premature baby is defined as one weighing less than 2S00 g at birth. If such babies are unable to maintain a normal body temperature they require special care in an incubator.
The delivery of a live fetus before it is ready to be born.
The delivery of a baby that takes place after the 28th week but before the 40th week of pregnancy. Prior to the 28th week, the termination of a pregnancy is referred to as an abortion or miscarriage.