National Nursing Review : Nursing Study Resources & Health Tips

A premature, by definition, a newborn whose gestational age is less than 37 weeks of pregnancy, counted from the first day of gestation. It is always an important factor for perinatal morbidity. The risk of death or sequelae is directly related to the degree of prematurity.
The lower limit of viability theory was set by the World Health to 22 weeks and 500g, but still a theory, premature infants less than 1000g already accounting for 5% of premature births.

Aetiology:
Found primarily in the socio economic disadvantage (underprivileged, single women, standing work and painful, …)
Then find uteroplacental abnormalities, morphological type (bifid uterus, hypoplastic), cervical incompetence, smoking or maternal pathology.
Finally, there may be a factor directly fetus, including twins and other multiple births.
In 40% of cases the origin is unknown. (more…)