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Preterm Birth
Preterm, or premature, birth is a birth that happens before the 37ᵗʰ week of pregnancy.¹ There are different categories of prematurity.²
Globally, about 1 in every 10 babies are born prematurely.³
Preterm birth often happens naturally, or it can be planned if the mother or baby has a medical condition which means continuing the pregnancy could pose serious health risks to the mother or baby. This can happen even before labour has started naturally and the mother's waters have not broken. In such circumstances, it is safer for the baby to be born earlier.²
Whatever the reason, premature birth can be an emotional and difficult time for the parents and the baby.⁴⁻⁶ Parents are hoping for a normal, trouble-free birth, so preterm birth can be very upsetting.⁶ For the baby, being born prematurely can result in health problems, with a higher risk the earlier in the pregnancy a baby is born. A preterm baby may therefore need special care in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).⁷
The good news is that most preterm babies survive and grow up to do well, especially with appropriate medical care.⁸ If you do go into preterm labour or your preterm birth is planned, rest assured that your healthcare team will do all they can for you and your baby.
“At exactly 30 weeks my twins were delivered by emergency caesarean. One night I was at Pilates and the next I was in hospital and supposedly a mother of two.”
Quote from a mother. House of Lords Preterm Birth Committee report, 2024.⁹