Babies who were born earlier than 37th week of pregnancy are usually called premature. They are called like this because they are born with less weight and are more susceptible to health problems than full-term new-borne ones.  Preemies need special care and attention because of their immaturity and therefore they are usually kept in a neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU, until their organ systems can is able to function independently.

Different factors can cause preterm delivery. Mostly a mother’s lifestyle is something that can evoke the condition. This includes stress, smoking, drinking, using drugs or eating poorly, and etc. But there are also factors that cannot be controlled, factors that are connected with hormonal imbalance, a structural abnormality of the uterus, an influence of a chronic illness or an infection. Mothers older than 35 years of age or less than 19 are in this high-risk group.

Why premature babies are different and what are their needs? It is simple: they need warmth and special nutrition. Premature babies do not have enough of body fat that will keep them warm and therefore they are helped with incubators or radiant warmers. These devices are specially designed for keeping a new-born warm and comfortable until it is mature enough not to be dependant of it. Babies also receive particular nutrition that is different from the one that full-term babies get. The digestive system of preemies is immature and they are unable to feed from the breast and have a risk of having a characteristic only for premature babies infection called necrotizing enterocolitis. Instead they get milk (sometimes mixed with special fortifiers) through a tube.

There are some problems that preemies can have due to the immaturity of their internal organs.

• First of all it concerns hyperbilirubinemia. It is common with such babies (80%). Such babies have high levels of bilirubin and this condition leads to development of jaundice. In order to treat the condition jaundiced preemies are placed under special lights.
• Another frequent problem is apnea. It happens because babies have immature area in the brain that is responsible for breathing. It is generally cured by gentle stimulation. In case when the condition happens often medications and a nasal device can be also used.
• Premature babies can also be affected by anemia. This happens due to the lack of number of red blood cells necessary for carrying enough oxygen to the body. Premature babies, with a weight less than 1,000 grams are in need of blood cell transfusions.
• Infection, fluid/blood loss or medications that a mother had to take can cause hypotension, or low blood pressure. This condition is treated with the help of increased fluid intake and medications.
• And, finally, respiratory distress syndrome, or RDS, is also a common condition among preemies. This happens when the immature lungs lack an important substance called surfactant. But it is not a dangerous case; it is successfully treated. Generally a mother who is expected to have a preterm delivery is given an appropriate medication that is able to prevent the condition. In some cases artificial surfactant is given after birth as well.