If an infant is born before the 37th week of pregnancy, he is considered as a premature baby. The advances in medicine and science made it more possible to deliver a healthy baby earlier and save their lives at the same time. These advances in science and medicine include alternative feeding methods, preventive strategies that will keep babies longer in utero, advanced incubators, and better understanding about the complications that will affect the premature babies.
What are the possible health problems a premature baby can have after birth?
Anemia. This occurs when your baby doesn’t have enough numbers of healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to the entire body.
Apnea. Premature babies tend to suffer from apnea, a condition …show more content…
Is a condition where the eyes and the skin of your baby turned yellow. This happens because his liver is not working well.
Necrotizing enterocolitis. This problem occurs in the intestine of your baby that can cause feeding problems, diarrhea, or swollen tummy.
Patent ductus arterioles. A heart problem that usually happens between the two major blood vessels near the heart.
Respiratory disease syndrome. Babies who have RDS lacks with a protein called surfactant that is responisble for keeping the small air sacs In the lungs from collapsing.
Retinopathy of prematurity. This can lead to vision loss because there is an abnormal growth of blood vessels in the eyes.
What are the chance of survival for premature babies?
The chance depends on the degree of prematurity and the birth weight of your baby. It is very difficult to predict a prenancy that will end prematurely.
How to take care a premature baby?
Talk to your healthcare provider about your baby’s health condition. If he is healthy, then he can go home with you or he may need to stay in the NICU for some special care. He can go home from the hospital if he is:
He can breastfeed or bottle feed
He can breathe on his own
He can keep warm on his own without needing a help from