Premature Birth: The Life of a Premature Baby “Babies born before thirty-seven weeks of gestation are classified as premature” (Boenker). Premature babies are usually underweight and in great need of specialized medical care. “The number of premature births is increasing, occurring in eight to ten percent of all pregnancies in the United States” (“Premature Baby Stats”). Premature births can have life-changing consequences for infants as well as life-changing events for their families. Some of the causes of premature births are: Previous premature birth, miscarriage or multiple abortions. A history of kidney disease. Structural problems in the uterus, such as a weakening of the uterus. cervix, heart-shaped and divided uterus. Prenatal complications such as placental problems, insufficient amniotic fluid, uterine fibroids, preeclampsia or toxemia, premature rupture of membranes, infection of the uterus, multiple babies, obesity, severe underweight due to undernutrition. .In some cases, the risk of premature birth is caused by smoking, drug abuse, and lack of prenatal care (Sears, Premature Baby Book, pages 5 and 6). Before delivery, mothers may be given steroids. injections to help mature the fetal lungs. Once the infant is born, doctors and nurses monitor their respiratory status and assess whether they need help breathing. Using a sensor stuck to the infant's foot or hand monitors the level of oxygen in the blood. Based on the assessment, infants may need either forced positive pressure blown into the nose to facilitate breathing or be placed on a ventilator connected to a tube inserted into the lungs through the infant's mouth . Infants are heavily sedated, g...... middle of paper ......k, 2013. Web. May 14, 2014. “Having a premature baby.” have a premature baby. Tommys, and Web. April 30, 2014. “Risk factors and causes of premature birth.” National Premature Foundation. Julia Toivonen, 2007. Web. May 13, 2014. “March of Dimes.” Premature birth bulletin 2013. March of Dimes Foundation, 2013. Internet. April 30, 2014. “Premature Baby Statistics.” Statistical Brain, nd Web. April 30, 2014. “Premature infants.” New York Times Company, April 7, 2014. Web. April 30, 2014. Sears, William et al. The Premature Babies Book. First of all. New York, NY: William Sears and Martha Sears, 2004. Print. Fucha, Fritz et al. Premature births. First of all. New York, NY: MacMillan PublishingCompany, 1984. Print. “Premature birth: causes, consequences and prevention”: Institute of Medicine, ReportBrief, July 2006. Wednesday May 14, 2014.