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Consequences of Being Premature

Each year in the United States, an estimated 1 in 8 premature babies are born with an increased risk of serious health, developmental and behavioral problems, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. Born more than three weeks before their due date, premature babies require specialized care and face a higher risk of lifelong complications than full-term babies. Understanding more about the risks of prematurity can help you make informed health-care choices for your baby.

  1. The Facts

    • Premature babies might weight less than two pounds and require specialized care in a neonatal intensive care unit after they are born. Prematurity was once a leading cause of death among newborn babies, but medical advancements now mean premature babies are living longer and healthier lives. About 90 percent of premature babies who weigh slightly less than two pounds or more survive, according to KidsHealth.org. In general, the more premature a baby, the greater the likelihood of complications and the lower the chance of survival.

    Problems As Preemies

    • When first born, a premature baby can experience the following: difficulty breathing because of underdeveloped lungs; infection; low blood sugar; difficulty maintaining his body temperature; bleeding into the brain; intestinal problems; and feeding problems. Common problems among newborn preemies include apnea, a condition in which a baby stops breathing for more than 15 seconds at a time, causing his heart rate to fall and skin to pale or turn blue; anemia, a condition characterized by a lack of red blood cells that help carry oxygen to the body; and jaundice. Jaundice affects an estimated 80 percent of babies when a high level of a compound known as bilirubin accumulates in the blood, leading to a yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes. The condition can lead to brain damage if not treated.

    Problems As They Grow

    • As a premature baby grows, she might develop hearing or vision problems, blindness or continued episodes of apnea. A condition known as bronchopulmonary dysplasia is also common as a premature infant matures. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia is a chronic lung disease that often requires the use of a ventilator or oxygen for more than a month to help an infant or child breathe. Lungs often improve by the time the infant is 2 years old, but asthma-like symptoms can develop, KidsHealth.org notes.

      Research has also shown premature infants can suffer developmental and behavioral problems as they age. A January 2005 study in "The New England Journal of Medicine" by Neil Marlow and colleagues found twice as many preterm babies born at 25 weeks or less had cognitive difficulties compared to full-term babies. Additionally, the authors found 86 percent of premature infants with a severe disability at 30 months still had a moderate to severe disability at age 6.

    Problems As Adults

    • Complications from a premature birth can cause social and medical problems in adulthood. According to a study by Dag Moster and colleagues in a July 2008 issue of "The New England Journal of Medicine," the more premature a baby, the lower the likelihood of completing high school, having a high income and finding a life partner. Babies born prematurely also had a greater likelihood of severe medical disabilities and receiving a disability pension or Social Security benefits, the authors added. Similarly, a study in a March 2008 issue of "The Journal of the American Medical Association" by Geeta K. Swamy and colleagues found only 25 percent of women and 13 percent of men born prematurely had children compared with 68 percent of women and 50 percent of men born at full term.

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