X
theAsianparent Logo
theAsianparent Logo
Product GuideSign in
  • Awards
    • Parents' Choice Awards 2023
  • Pregnancy
    • Due date calculator
    • I'm pregnant
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labour
    • After birth
    • Baby loss
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Child
    • Newborn
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Pre-Schooler
    • Kid
    • Pre-Teen & Teen
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diseases-Injuries
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Meal Planner
    • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Pre-School
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
    • Primary School Directory
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Fitness
    • Contests & promotions
  • News
    • International
    • Health
    • Celebrity
    • Singapore
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Project Sidekicks
  • Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become A Contributor
  • VIP

Premature baby

2 min read
Premature-baby

Pregnancy- delivering a premature baby

Why do some babies arrive much earlier than others? What are some of the possible problems faced by them? What happens in the NICU? How long will they have to stay in an incubator for?

A baby that is born before 38 weeks of gestation is pre-term. There are many reasons for premature delivery – factors as multiple pregnancy like twins, infants of diabetic mothers or infections.

The risk of complications is proportional to the degree of prematurity as most organs are undergoing maturity in the last 3 months of growth. Some of the problems may be that babies may not be able to maintain body temperature, or fto suck or swallow. They may have immature lungs and hence require respiratory support. They are more prone to jaundice and to bleeding in the brain. Premature babies are also more susceptible to infections and are prone to heart problem like persistence of a blood vessel in the heart called PDA.

Care of the premature baby is to help these babies compensate for these developmental deficiencies until the organ matures and they will stay in an incubator until they are able to maintain their own body temperature.

Answered by

Dr Irene Chan

Consultant Paediatrician at the iKids Paediatric Practice

A member of Pacific Healthcare

Got a burning question? Drop an email to [email protected] and we’ll get a Doctor reply back within a week.

 

Related: Expert tells all about premature births

Related: Asthma may lead to premature births

Related: More help for Singaporeans with sick babies

Partner Stories
4 Good Toilet Hygiene Habits for Kids to Have Early in Life
4 Good Toilet Hygiene Habits for Kids to Have Early in Life
Flu in Singapore: Is Your Family Protected?
Flu in Singapore: Is Your Family Protected?
6 Top Ways to Prevent Diaper Rash
6 Top Ways to Prevent Diaper Rash
Experiencing Mood Swings, Irregular Periods and Weight Gain Among Other Things? Here’s What You Need to Know About Hormonal Imbalance
Experiencing Mood Swings, Irregular Periods and Weight Gain Among Other Things? Here’s What You Need to Know About Hormonal Imbalance

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

Dr Irene Chan

  • Home
  • /
  • Development
  • /
  • Premature baby
Share:
  • Premature Baby Problems: The Short-Term and Long-Term Risks for Your Preemie

    Premature Baby Problems: The Short-Term and Long-Term Risks for Your Preemie

  • Wash, Scrub and Dry Your Avocados Before Giving Them to Babies

    Wash, Scrub and Dry Your Avocados Before Giving Them to Babies

  • Wife Forgives Husband Who Had Two Affairs And Got A Woman Pregnant

    Wife Forgives Husband Who Had Two Affairs And Got A Woman Pregnant

  • Study: Nagging Mothers with High Expectations Raise Successful Daughters

    Study: Nagging Mothers with High Expectations Raise Successful Daughters

  • Premature Baby Problems: The Short-Term and Long-Term Risks for Your Preemie

    Premature Baby Problems: The Short-Term and Long-Term Risks for Your Preemie

  • Wash, Scrub and Dry Your Avocados Before Giving Them to Babies

    Wash, Scrub and Dry Your Avocados Before Giving Them to Babies

  • Wife Forgives Husband Who Had Two Affairs And Got A Woman Pregnant

    Wife Forgives Husband Who Had Two Affairs And Got A Woman Pregnant

  • Study: Nagging Mothers with High Expectations Raise Successful Daughters

    Study: Nagging Mothers with High Expectations Raise Successful Daughters

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Education
    • Events
    • Allergies & Conditions
  • Family Occasions
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Child Safety
    • Health
    • Diseases-Injuries
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Money
    • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diet & Weightloss
  • Normal Delivery
    • Cesarean Delivery
    • Behaviour
    • Secondary School
    • Formula Feeding
  • Ages & Stages
    • Latching & Concerns
    • Festivals & Holidays
    • Education
    • Pre-teen & Teen
  • More
    • TAP Community
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
  • India flag India
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
  • Australia flag Australia
  • Japan flag Japan
  • Nigeria flag Nigeria
  • Kenya flag Kenya
© Copyright theAsianparent 2023. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

theAsianparent heart icon
We’d like to send you notifications for the latest news and updates on baby care and health.