November 17, 2015: November is National Prematurity Awareness Month and today is World Prematurity Day. Learn more about premature birth, risk factors, and what you can do.
What is Premature Birth?
Premature (also known as preterm) birth refers to when a baby is born too early, before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Important growth and development occur throughout pregnancy—especially in the final months and weeks. Premature birth is a concern because babies born too soon miss out on this valuable time to grow and develop.