Babies born premature are likely to require specialized medical care, and often times must stay in intensive care nurseries. While there have been many medical advances enabling premature infants to survive, there is still risk of infant death or long term disability. The most important things an expectant mother can do to prevent prematurity and low birth weight are to take prenatal vitamins, stop smoking, stop drinking alcohol and using drugs and get preatal care.

This indicator shows the percentage of births with less than 37 weeks of completed gestation.