When everything can be done, regardless of expense, I think premature babies do much better in their own homes than in a hospital. They receive more individual attention and are much less exposed to infection. For the same reasons I prefer even only moderately good surroundings at home to those of a hospital. The prognosis depends chiefly on the age and weight of the infant and the care which it receives. The older the infant, the better the prognosis.
Every day counts.
There is, of course, nothing in the old saying that seven months' babies are more likely to survive than eight months' babies. It probably originated in the fact that seven months' babies were glven special care, while eight months' babies were treated in the same way as those born at full term. The prognosis is almost absolutely bad when the weight is under two pounds. It is very fair when it is over four pounds. Every ounce of weight over two pounds increases the chances of survival.