UPDATED June 17th, 2017
Infants born before the 37th week of pregnancy are considered premature babies. Thanks to advances in science and medicine, it is becoming more and more possible to deliver healthy babies earlier and save the lives of babies born as early as 24 weeks. These new techniques and technologies include advanced incubators, alternative feeding methods, and a better understanding of the types of complications that tend to affect preemies, as well as preventive strategies that keep babies in utero for longer.
The March of Dimes, which works both preventing premature birth and assisting babies born prematurely, has raised a lot of awareness about the importance of every day spent in the womb. With campaigns like A healthy baby is worth the wait, they hope to enable at risk moms to get the health care they need to carry their babies longer. But sometimes, despite all best efforts, babies arrive sooner than we expect.
The following are some surprising facts about premature babies:
