Reasons for premature birth

There are many reasons why babies are born much earlier than normal and premature births are often down to a combination of factors. These factors can be loosely grouped under medical, accidental and socio-economic causes.

• Medical
• Accidental
• Socio-economic
• Different stages of premature birth
• Before the 6th month
• Between the 6th and 7th month
• Between the 7th and 8th month
• Problems with premature babies
• Immature respiratory system
• Immature digestive system
• Immature thermoregulatory system
• Immature imune system
• Hospital care
• Incubator
• Ventilator
• Feeding tube
• Ultrasound scanning
• How long for?
• The parents' role
• Skin-on-skin contact
• As your premature baby grows up...
• The first year
• Later on