PRE TERM BABY

 

 This refers to a baby born before 37 complete weeks of pregnancy. Some of them may have growth retardation and therefore be small while others may be excessively large for gestational age (macrosomia)

Low birth weight baby is one with less than 2500g

 predisposing factors

1. Maternal factors – maternal ageeg. Primigravida below 17 years or above 35 years

2. Maternal disease in pregnancy such as anaemia, hypertension, pre-eclampsia.

3. Foetal factors –congenital abnormalities; multiple pregnancy and polyhydromnous due to over distension of the uterus; rhesus incompatibility interfering with foetal viability

4. Placental factors –APHdue to placenta praevia and placenta abruption

5. Social factors –strenuous exercises, excessive drinking of alcohol and smoking, previous history of miscarriage, physiological stress.

 

 clinical features

 

· Small stature with low birth weighs less than 2500g

· Thin and sparsely distributed hair on the head.

· Skin is reddish with plenty of lanugo

· Widely open sutures

· Eyes closed most of the time

· Pinnae of the ears are soft and fold easily on pressure and slow to uncoil

· Narrow sinuses and the nose a bit flat

· Swallowing and sucking reflexes absent or very weak

· Weak cry and there are no tears

· Chest is small, soft with underdeveloped breast tissue

· Poor muscle tone and the baby lies inactive most of the time

· In females, labia majora are widely separated and labia minora is protruding in between

· In males, scrotal muscles are smooth and testis are undescended

· Palmer and planter creases are absent

· Grasp reflex are absent