PREMATURE INFANT Meaning and
Definition
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A premature infant, commonly known as a preemie, refers to a baby born before completing the normal gestational period of approximately 40 weeks. A dictionary definition of a premature infant would describe it as a newborn who arrives into the world earlier than anticipated, usually before the 37th week of pregnancy. Such infants tend to have underdeveloped organs and body systems, which can lead to various health challenges.
Premature infants often have low birth weights compared to babies born full-term, as their bodies have not had sufficient time to accumulate the necessary fat stores. They might exhibit distinctive physical characteristics, such as delicate skin, fine hair (lanugo), or an undeveloped sucking reflex. Due to their immaturity, they are also prone to respiratory problems, as their lungs are not yet fully formed.
These fragile babies typically require specialized medical attention immediately after birth, often spending an extended period in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for monitoring and support. Premature infants may need assistance with breathing through respiratory devices, such as ventilators or continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines. Additionally, they might face challenges related to feeding and temperature regulation.
Medical advancements and advances in neonatal care have vastly improved the survival rates and long-term outcomes for premature infants. However, the potential health complications and developmental delays associated with prematurity emphasize the importance of ongoing medical care and early intervention to support their growth and development.
Common Misspellings for PREMATURE INFANT
- oremature infant
- lremature infant
- -remature infant
- 0remature infant
- peemature infant
- pdemature infant
- pfemature infant
- ptemature infant
- p5emature infant
- p4emature infant
- prwmature infant
- prsmature infant
- prdmature infant
- prrmature infant
- pr4mature infant
- pr3mature infant
- prenature infant
- prekature infant
- prejature infant
Etymology of PREMATURE INFANT
The etymology of the word "premature" traces back to the Latin word "praematurus", which combines "prae" meaning "before" and "maturus" meaning "ripe" or "mature". Thus, "premature" suggests something that occurs or develops before it is fully ripe or mature. The word "infant" comes from the Latin word "infans", which means "unable to speak" or "speechless". Therefore, a "premature infant" refers to a baby born before reaching the full term of development and is unable to speak or communicate.
Similar spelling words for PREMATURE INFANT
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