WEBVTT
Kind: captions
Language: en

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A preterm baby has all the organ systems
they need at birth but many of them are

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relatively underdeveloped especially
when birth occurs before 32 weeks of

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gestation. Babies can survive from as
early as 23 weeks but the earlier birth

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occurs the greater the challenge they
face. For example at 24 to 26 weeks the

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skin is only four to five layers thick
and not waterproof, the eyelids may not

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have separated and the lungs are likely
to need careful help and support to

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ensure that enough oxygen can get into
the body. Over the last 20 years the

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neonatal team has become much better at
doing this and as a result now many more

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babies survive they may need help with
respirator or a ventilator and be given

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oxygen for many weeks after birth
however once a baby gets to beyond about

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29 to 30 weeks at birth the need for
support becomes much less. Alongside all

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the challenges faced by the baby all of
the body systems need to be looked after

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and this includes the brain. The brain
grows and changes rapidly up to 40 weeks

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of gestation at 22 weeks the brain is a
smooth structure the nerve cells in it

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are almost all in the position they will
occupy later on and many supporting

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cells are being produced and moving to
their position subsequently cells

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organize themselves and increased
dramatically in size and number folding

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the surface of the brain into the more
familiar shape we see later in life.

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Development of the brain for most babies
progresses normally after preterm birth

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interference with natural development of
the brain can occur after preterm birth

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and a few babies have episodes are
bleeding into the spaces inside the

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brain called intraventricular
hemorrhages. Only some of these babies

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may develop cerebral palsy or serious
learning problems babies who are born

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extremely or very preterm are more
likely to suffer consequences of being

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born so early without showing serious
disability.