Prematurity and Its Consequences

Chapter

Abstract

Prematurity is the term used when a newborn infant is delivered before term and is often associated with a low birth weight, of less than 2500 g. The concerns in the immediate neonatal period are for survival, while later concerns are about health, growth and development. Over the past 50 years, there has been an increasing focus of attention, research and resources on assuring the survival and long term outcome of infants who are born premature. As a result of advances in knowledge and technology, there has followed an increased likelihood for survival of even the smallest of premature infants. The challenges related to promoting survival are offset by the increasing likelihood of a neurologically based disability that is directly related to the degree of prematurity. In addition, families face significant stresses associated with the dramatic clinical picture in the immediate neonatal period and the emotional stress continues for some time and needs to be taken into consideration. For these reasons, infants born prematurely require close monitoring for their health, growth and development and also for attention to family stresses.

Keywords

Cerebral Palsy Preterm Birth Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Club Foot Short Bowel Syndrome 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Innovative Solutions for Disadvantage and DisabilityAtlantaUSA
  2. 2.Department of PediatricsMorehouse School of MedicineAtlantaUSA
  3. 3.Southeast Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty UnitEmory UniversityAtlantaUSA
  4. 4.Developmental Pediatrics SpecialistsAtlantaUSA

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