Premature birth /

In humans preterm birth (Latin: partus praetemporaneus or partus praematurus) refers to the birth of a baby of less than 37 weeks gestational age. The cause for preterm birth is in many situations elusive and unknown; many factors appear to be associated with the development of preterm birth, making the reduction of preterm birth a challenging proposition. Premature birth, commonly used as a synonym for preterm birth, refers to the birth of a baby before the developing organs are mature enough to allow normal postnatal survival. Premature infants are at greater risk for short and long term complications, including disabilities and impediments in growth and mental development. Significant progress has been made in the care of premature infants, but not in reducing the prevalence of preterm birth. Preterm birth is the major cause of neonatal mortality in developed countries. In that they continue developing after birth, most animals are not born mature. At birth, a normal human infant is less mature than infants of some other primate species, possibly to allow the disproportionately large head to fit through a pelvis adapted for walking on two legs. In humans whereas the usual