Premature baby: what preterm birth means for you and your baby

A premature baby, or preterm baby, is born alive before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy, the WHO says. KKH puts Singapore's preterm birth rate at 8.5%, close to 3,000 babies a year. How much help your baby needs depends mostly on how early they arrive. The NHS says the earlier a baby is born, the more vulnerable they are.

Why babies come early

The WHO says most preterm births start on their own. Others are planned early for a medical reason, such as pre-eclampsia or an infection. Known causes include twins, infections, diabetes and high blood pressure, but often no cause is found.

KKH says the most obvious risk factor is a previous preterm birth, and cervical surgery, multiple pregnancy and infections also count. Singapore's rate has stayed at 8.5%, higher than Hong Kong and China, for reasons KKH says are not well understood. Guidelines launched by KKH and the College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in April 2026 start the risk check at your first pregnancy visit and recommend measuring the cervix at 18 to 22 weeks, brought in gradually over the next few years. A short cervix, 25 mm or less, is a main warning sign.

Signs of early labour to act on

The NHS says contact your maternity unit if you are less than 37 weeks pregnant and have:

• regular contractions or tightenings
• period-type pains
• a gush or trickle of fluid from your vagina, which could be your waters breaking
• backache that is not usual for you

In Singapore, go to your delivery hospital or call your gynae's clinic. Our guide to premature labour signs lists where to go at KKH, SGH and NUH.

Premature baby care in the NICU

KKH says its neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is the largest in Singapore. NUH also cares for ill and premature newborns in its NICU and high dependency unit, and for babies who need a long stay it lends home equipment for breathing or feeding, trains parents and supports the move home.

Very early babies can stay a long time. KKH's Premmies Fund page, read in November 2026, says the NICU can be home for two to seven months, with hospital costs that can exceed $15,000. Both hospitals run parent groups: KKH's Early Bird Baby Club and NUH's Neonatal Parental Support Group.

Your part matters too. The WHO says simple care such as skin-to-skin kangaroo care straight after birth and starting breastfeeding early can substantially reduce deaths in preterm babies. If your baby cannot feed yet, ask the nurses about expressing.

Corrected age: counting from your due date

Relatives may worry that your baby is behind. The AAP says to judge a premature baby by corrected age: take their age since birth and subtract the weeks they were born early. A baby born at 32 weeks, 8 weeks early, who is now 4 months old has a corrected age of 2 months, and is on target if they do what a 2-month-old born at term does. The AAP says to use corrected age for milestones during the first 2 years.

Our baby age calculator works out corrected age for you. KKH runs neurodevelopmental follow-up for premature babies. A KKH neonatologist writing on HealthXchange says premature babies are more prone to long-term problems with the brain, lungs, hearing or vision, and that close follow-up catches issues that need early help.

Frequently asked questions

What does premature mean?

Born before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy. The WHO splits it into extremely preterm (under 28 weeks), very preterm (28 to under 32 weeks) and moderate to late preterm (32 to 37 weeks).

Is a baby born at 36 weeks premature?

Yes. Anything before 37 completed weeks counts as preterm, and the WHO puts 36 weeks in the moderate to late preterm group. The NHS says the earlier a baby is born, the more vulnerable they are, so a baby at 36 weeks usually faces fewer problems than a very early one.

Can a baby born at 24 weeks survive?

Yes, it is possible. The NHS says a baby can survive if born from around 24 weeks of pregnancy. The WHO says fewer than 10% of extremely preterm babies die in high-income settings such as Singapore, though many need long NICU stays.

Can I breastfeed my premature baby?

Usually, yes, though often by expressing at first. The WHO recommends starting breastfeeding early for preterm babies, and KKH runs a human milk bank as part of its neonatal service.

Related terms

• Low Birth Weight: A birth weight under 2.5 kg, from being born early, growing slowly in the womb, or both.
• Gestational Age: How far along your pregnancy is, in weeks and days, counted from the first day of your last period.
• Pre-eclampsia: High blood pressure in pregnancy, usually with protein in the urine, most often from 20 weeks.
• Expressing (Pumping): Taking milk out of your breasts by hand or with a pump, so your baby can have it later.
• Contractions: The tightening and relaxing of your womb that opens the cervix and pushes your baby down in labour.
• Neonatal Jaundice: Yellowing of a newborn's skin and eyes from bilirubin. Common and usually mild, but checked in every baby.

See every term in the glossary