Jonathan Fanaroff, MD, MD Neonatologist, UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital
Not Always a Good Thing for Babies
University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital and UH MacDonald Women’s Hospital are teaming up with the March of Dimes in their effort to reduce infant prematurity through sponsorship of the annual March for Babies Walkathon on May 1.
According to the National Center for Health Statistics, about 13 percent of babies born each year in the United States are born preterm, or before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy. Of all babies:
- About 9 percent are born between 34 and 36 weeks of gestation (the time from conception to birth)
- About 3.7 percent are born between 32 and 33 weeks of gestation
- Less than 1 percent are born at less than 28 weeks of gestation
Many premature babies, or “preemies,” weigh less than 5.5 pounds and may be referred to as low birth weight. Premature babies are born before their bodies and organ systems have completely matured. These babies are often small, with low birth weight, and may need help breathing, eating, fighting infection and staying warm. Very premature babies, those born before 28 weeks, are especially vulnerable. Many of their organs may not be ready for life outside the uterus and may be too immature to function well.
Premature infants born between 34 and 37 weeks of pregnancy are often called late preterm or nearterm infants. Late preterm infants are often much larger than very premature infants but may only be slightly smaller than fullterm infants.
Late preterm babies usually appear healthy at birth, but may have more difficulty adapting than fullterm babies, says Jonathan Fanaroff, MD, a neonatologist at UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital — ranked fourth in the nation in neonatal care by U.S. News & World Report. “Because of their smaller size, late preterm babies may have trouble maintaining body temperature,” he says. “They often have difficulty with breastfeeding and bottle feeding, and may need to eat more frequently.
“They usually need more sleep and may even sleep through a feeding,” he adds. “This means that they may miss out on muchneeded calories.”
A late preterm infant may also have breathing difficulties, though these are often identified before the infant goes home from the hospital. These infants also are at higher risk for infections and jaundice, and should be watched for signs of these conditions. Late preterm infants should be seen by a care provider within the first one or two days after going home from the hospital.
Premature babies also can have longterm health problems. Generally, the more premature the baby, the more serious and long lasting the health problems can be.