Not all pregnancies go as planned. Some babies are born too early - prematurely or preterm. We do not always know why a baby is born early, although we do know that the chance of an early birth is higher when a woman is expecting twins or triplets.

A full term baby is born between 37 and 42 weeks of pregnancy. These babies are usually fully developed. A preterm baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy. The shorter the pregnancy, the more immature the baby's organs and tissues at birth and the more specialised the medical and nursing care he or she will need.

The outcome for a premature baby depends largely on how early he or she is born.

Each year in NSW, about 1000 babies are born more than eight weeks early (before 32 weeks of pregnancy). Almost all of these babies need highly specialised care in a Neonatal (Newborn) Intensive Care Unit until they have developed enough to breathe and feed without clinical help.

The overall outcomes for premature babies are good. However, there are risks to being born early. The booklet 'Outcomes for Premature Babies' explains those risks and answers the common questions asked by parents. Please remember that the risks of most of the complications mentioned here are small and are uncommon in babies born after 30 weeks of pregnancy. We encourage you to discuss any concerns with your doctor or midwife.

View or download Outcomes for Premature Babies (pdf)