The premature baby Approximately 1 in 20 births are born before they are due. A premature birth is one which occurs before 37 weeks of pregnancy. A normal pregnancy is 40 weeks long.
Premature babies are often very small, especially if they are born very premature.
A baby born at 28 weeks or after only 7 months pregnancy can weigh as little as 1 kilogram. The smaller the baby or the earlier the birth the more likely for there to be problems. This means that the baby's lung is immature and baby cannot survive unless oxygen therapy is given. This means that a communication or tube between the right side of the heart and the left has remained open. This will weaken the baby's heart.