24 May 11 Being Born Only Week or Two Early Raises Risks for Baby

Newborns delivered only a week or two early still face a significantly higher risk of death, a new study finds.

Researchers at the March of Dimes, the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found that the odds for death more than double for newborns born at 37 weeks versus babies born at 40 weeks of pregnancy.

“There is the perception that babies born between 37 and 41 weeks of pregnancy are all born healthy. But this study confirms that even babies born just a week or two early have an increased risk of death,” Dr. Alan R. Fleischman, senior vice president and medical director at the March of Dimes, said in a new release from the group. “It is clear, that regardless of race or ethnicity, every additional week of pregnancy is critical to a baby’s health.”
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