Identification

• The Mayo Clinic defines a premature birth as a birth that occurs when a baby is born more than three weeks before his due date.
  
  

Causes

• Some things that can increase the risk of a premature birth include being pregnant with multiples, smoking or using drugs, and having high blood pressure.
  
  

Complications

• A baby born premature is at risk for a number of problems such as difficulty breathing, jaundice, heart problems and anemia.
  
  

Treatment

• Premature babies are taken to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit where they are placed in incubators that keep the baby's body temperature regulated. These babies may also be helped to breathe through ventilators and are tube fed until they are big enough to take a bottle or nurse.
  
  

Considerations

• While sometimes premature birth is unavoidable, pregnant women can do some things to lessen the risk. A pregnant woman should avoid smoking and drinking alcohol, follow the doctor's orders concerning illnesses, and go to regular prenatal appointments.