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 Preterm or premature births, often coupled with low birth weight, are the most common cause of infant deaths in this country. A preterm birth occurs before 37 weeks of gestation or pregnancy, as opposed to a full term birth of 37 to 42 weeks of gestation. Low birth weight is under 5 ½ pounds. A baby born premature can experience short and long-term complications or life-threatening health problems.
The rate of preterm births is a growing public health problem.
Although the causes of prematurity are not fully known or understood, it is possible to reduce some of the risks with lifestyle changes and improvements in the mother’s health before and during pregnancy.
Black women have the highest incidence of preterm births and low birth weight in this country, and the incidence increases as the gestation period and birth weight decrease.
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