When you call it as ‘Premature Birth’ ? Premature birth is a birth that takes place more than three weeks before estimated due date of delivery.
A normal healthy pregnancy terminates between 37 and 42 weeks and ends with good outcome for the mother and baby. If a mother gives birth before completion of 37 weeks of gestational age it gives rise to a premature baby. Preterm birth is the term used for pregnancy ending before 37 completed weeks of gestation.
Some women may give birth even before 28 completed weeks. In this case baby is extremely premature and difficult to survive. Accurate dating of pregnancy is important for this purpose. Your last menstrual period (LMP), along with clinical and ultrasonographic evaluation predicts the correct gestational age
Source: Premature Birth : Health Issues
