The development of premature babies at 23-24 . weeks

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Dr. Nguyen Thai Ngoc Chau - Neonatologist - Pediatrics - Neonatology Department - Vinmec Phu Quoc International General Hospital
A premature baby is a baby born at a gestational age of less than 37 weeks. These children are at high risk for respiratory diseases. At 23 to 24 weeks' gestation, babies are at greatest risk of complications. However, there is still hope in the treatment and intensive care of these extremely preterm infants.

1. What is a premature baby?

A premature baby is a baby born before the 37th week of pregnancy. Premature babies have a higher risk of diseases such as cerebral palsy, mental retardation, hearing and vision impairment than full-term babies. This risk is higher if the baby is born prematurely.
All premature babies have a low birth weight and need intensive medical care. A baby born 3 to 4 months early will face complications that are far different from a baby born 1 to 2 months early. Therefore, the prognosis for premature infants is very different at different gestational ages.

2. Classification of premature births based on gestational age

According to the classification of the World Health Organization - WHO 2014:
Extremely preterm birth: < 28 weeks Very preterm birth: From 28 to < 32 weeks Moderate preterm birth: From 32 to 33 weeks 6 days Late preterm birth: From 34 – 36 weeks 6 days Near term pregnancy: From 37 to 38 weeks 6 days Full term pregnancy: From 39 to 41 weeks.

3. Premature baby development at 23 to 24 weeks

For premature babies born at 23 weeks of gestation, there is a huge difference in infant survival from day to day
From 23 weeks 0 days to 23 weeks 2 days: No babies survive From 23 weeks 3 days and 23 weeks 4 days: 40% of newborns survive Between 23 weeks 5 days and 23 weeks 6 days: 63% of newborns survive. Babies born prematurely between 23 and 24 weeks of gestation are called extremely preterm babies. These babies weigh only a few hundred grams and are about 30-35 centimeters long from head to toe. Babies born at this time will be covered with a layer of down to keep warm, because they have not yet developed brown fat to retain body heat.
The skin of an extremely premature baby is very thin, has a berry red color, and the blood vessels are completely visible below. Although their eyes are normally closed, they will still have fully developed eyelashes and eyebrows. Premature babies at this point already have fingernails. Extremely premature babies often do not have fetal curvature. The skull is rickety and easily deformed.
Most of the body's systems are underdeveloped, this is also why many babies born at 23 weeks and 24 weeks will need long-term respiratory support.
Children at this age have fully formed their auditory system and can hear your voice. Loud noises can be overwhelming for a baby's immature and undeveloped nervous system.

4. Improvements in the care of extremely premature babies 23-24 weeks

In many medical centers, infants born less than 25 weeks are evaluated for survival at birth and resuscitation decisions are made based on the infant's clinical response. In the past, intensive and prolonged resuscitation of neonates at 22 and 23 weeks was uncommon because the prognosis was poor and clinicians were reluctant to cause unnecessary pain when the chances of survival were limited. .
However, recent advances in obstetric and pediatric care have improved survival rates for some infants at 22 weeks of gestation, opening a new window of opportunity and a long-held belief. on the limits of viability.
There are many factors that influence the survival of an extremely premature infant at 23-24 weeks, especially the physical condition of available medical resources, the management of threatened preterm birth and preterm labor at 22 and 23 weeks is one of the biggest challenges for obstetricians.
Currently in Vietnam, interventions for preterm infants at 23-24 weeks are unlikely to be available. The survival rate for premature babies in this gestational age is close to zero because of limited medical facilities and resources. However, there are still positive signs in the management and care of premature infants in the larger gestational weeks.
As a key area of ​​Vinmec Health system, Pediatrics Department always brings satisfaction to customers and is highly appreciated by industry experts with:
Gathering a team of top doctors and nurses in Pediatrics : consists of leading experts with high professional qualifications (professors, associate professors, doctorates, masters), experienced, worked at major hospitals such as Bach Mai, 108.. Doctors All doctors are well-trained, professional, conscientious, knowledgeable about young psychology. In addition to domestic pediatric specialists, the Department of Pediatrics also has the participation of foreign experts (Japan, Singapore, Australia, USA) who are always pioneers in applying the latest and most effective treatment regimens. . Comprehensive services: In the field of Pediatrics, Vinmec provides a series of continuous medical examination and treatment services from Newborn to Pediatric and Vaccine,... according to international standards to help parents take care of their baby's health from birth to childhood. Advanced techniques: Vinmec has successfully deployed many specialized techniques to make the treatment of difficult diseases in pediatrics more effective: neurosurgery - skull, stem cell transplant blood in cancer treatment. Professional care: In addition to understanding children's psychology, Vinmec also pays special attention to the children's play space, helping them to play comfortably and get used to the hospital's environment, cooperate in treatment, improve the efficiency of medical treatment. Reference source: verywellfamily.com
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