Title: Premature Infant: Causes, Complications, and More
Headings: Premature Infant
Premature Infant
Overview
Causes of premature birth
Potential health problems in premature infants
Treating a premature infant
Long-term outlook for premature infants
Preventing premature birth

Content: Causes of premature birth
The cause of a premature birth often can’t be identified. However, certain factors are known to increase a woman’s risk of going into labor early. A pregnant woman with any of the following conditions is more likely to have a premature birth: diabetes
heart disease
kidney disease
high blood pressure
Pregnancy-related factors associated with premature birth include: poor nutrition before and during pregnancy
smoking, using illegal drugs, or drinking too much alcohol during pregnancy
certain infections, such as urinary tract and amniotic membrane infections
premature birth in a previous pregnancy
an abnormal uterus
a weakened cervix opening early
Pregnant women also have an increased chance of delivering early if they are younger than 17 or older than 35. Potential health problems in premature infants
The earlier a baby is born, the more likely they are to have medical problems. A premature infant may show these signs soon after birth: trouble breathing
low weight
low body fat
inability to maintain a constant body temperature
less activity than normal
movement and coordination problems
difficulties with feeding
abnormally pale or yellow skin
Premature infants may also be born with life-threatening conditions. These can include: brain hemorrhage, or bleeding in the brain
pulmonary hemorrhage, or bleeding in the lungs
hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar
neonatal sepsis, a bacterial blood infection
pneumonia, an infection and inflammation of the lungs
patent ductus arteriosus, an unclosed hole in the main blood vessel of the heart
anemia, a lack of red blood cells for transporting oxygen throughout the body
neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, a breathing disorder caused by underdeveloped lungs
Some of these problems can be resolved through proper critical care for the newborn.