Babies who are born before the due time in the, i.e sooner than finishing 36 or 37 weeks in mother’s womb are more prone to health problems and may need to stay longer in the hospital than babies who are born later. Some babies may suffer a lifetime issue but science has come a long way. There are many cautions and techniques (like NICU)that replicate the environment of mother’s womb to an extent which helps the baby grow better and gives time to them to adjust to the changing environment like babies who do 37 weeks.
The earlier the baby is born more are the risks to their health because their bodily systems are still immature and are exposed to an environment very different than that in the mother’s womb. Some problems may surface immediately some may in adulthood or later. The sooner the problem is detected the better it can be treated. Premature babies are more prone to infections and weaker muscle power. Most body organs are affected but two main organs that are majorly affected are Brain and Lungs.
Brain
Premature birth can affect a baby’s intellectual and physical growth, it can impact their communication capabilities. It can even have a long term impact on their behavior, they are more prone to ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) it can worsen to neurological disorder like cerebral palsy also, informs gynecologist in Delhi. There are also chances of Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH).
Lungs
The lung is one crucial organ that is developed in the later months of the pregnancy. When a baby is born early lungs may not develop fully. Respiratory issues, diseases like Asthma that affect the airway tract functions, bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) which causes the lung to grow abnormally or be infected are commonly seen. Lungs do tend to grow with time but many premature babies tend to show asthma-like symptoms throughout their life.
Liver
Jaundice is most common and also commonly seen in mature babies, because either the liver is not fully developed or isn’t working just right.
Eyes
Apart from these two vital organs what also gets affected are eyes; retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a condition that impacts the development of blood vessels of the retina and has high chances of refractive error because of prolonged exposure of high amount of oxygen in the NICU.
Intestine
An intestinal problem like necrotizing enterocolitis (also called NEC); which negatively impacts the intestine and its ability to break down the food and absorb nutrients from the food. It can also cause diarrhea, swollen belly.
Ears
Hearing loss is also a common issue heard with premature babies says gynecologist in Delhi. It may be partial to permanent loss depending upon the time of birth and other organ development.
Teeth
Dental issues are also commonly observed with premature babies. They generally have underdeveloped enamel cover which makes teeth prone to decaying, staining and cavities.
Premature babies are born fighters, they fight their way through most times. Also with modern day science, many of these conditions can be easily treated. Thousands of babies each year are born prematurely and have been living a healthy life.