What diseases are premature babies prone to?

A premature baby refers to a baby born before 37 weeks of gestation. The organs and tissues of a premature baby are not fully developed, and their weight and intelligence level are not fully developed. Therefore, their ability to adapt to the outside world is relatively poor. At this time, they must strengthen their good care. Premature babies are prone to some diseases, and some diseases are more harmful to children. Let's take a look at the diseases that premature babies are prone to.

What diseases are premature babies prone to?

Premature babies are in poorer health than normal babies. Newborn babies have weak resistance to diseases and bacteria, and premature babies are even worse. So, what diseases are premature babies more likely to get?

1. The first type is respiratory diseases, such as allergic asthma, bronchitis, etc. This is because the lungs of premature babies are not fully developed, which can easily cause breathing difficulties, and in severe cases even lead to respiratory failure. Some children who are underweight may also experience symptoms such as shortness of breath.

2. The second type is infectious diseases, such as colds, meningitis, etc. The immune system of premature babies is not fully developed, so they have no resistance to viruses and are easily infected. If the infection is not treated in time, it can easily lead to sepsis or meningitis.

3. The third type is retinal damage. Premature birth is likely to hinder the normal development of the retinal blood vessels of premature babies, which will cause the child's eyes to develop poorly and cause eye diseases such as myopia.

Reasons why premature infants are more susceptible to infectious diseases

The fetus begins to obtain antibodies (also called immunoglobulins) from the mother at 3 months old, and as the fetus grows, the amount of antibodies it obtains will continue to increase. The longer the gestational age, the higher the level of antibodies in the body may be. For example, a premature infant with a gestational age of 32 weeks contains only 400 mg of immunoglobulin per liter of umbilical cord blood, while a full-term newborn has 1000 mg, which is basically similar to the content in the mother's blood. A normal baby relies on antibodies brought by the mother to resist foreign bacterial and viral infections within 3 months after birth. As the baby continues to produce its own synthetic antibodies, the antibodies from the mother will gradually be exhausted.

During the fetal period, premature babies obtain very few antibodies from their mothers, and the antibody levels in their bodies are often very low, reaching their lowest point soon after birth. Their ability to synthesize their own antibodies is also poor, so premature babies' immunoglobulins will be at a low level for a long time after birth, and the functions of their organs are not mature enough. Their ability to adapt to the external environment is relatively weak, and they are easily invaded by bacteria and viruses. This is the main reason why premature babies are more susceptible to infectious diseases.

There are many factors that cause infection in premature infants, such as premature rupture of membranes, hypoxia, mechanical ventilation, cold, feeding intolerance, etc. in the mother; the skin and mucous membranes of premature infants are thin and tender, and are easily damaged, and there are open umbilical wounds, which are pathways for bacterial invasion and factors in the occurrence of various infectious diseases.