What are the risks of surviving extreme prematurity?
Disability risk By age: Although the survival rate for extreme preemies improves with each week, the disability rate does not greatly improve. In an Irish and British study of toddlers who survived extremely premature birth in the mid-1990s, about 50% of those born at 23, 24, and 25 weeks developed at least one moderate to severe disability.3 By weight: Of infants who survive birth with a newborn weight between 500 g and 800 g, nearly 1 in 3 develops a moderate to severe disability. In other words, about 2 in 3 do not develop mental retardation, cerebral palsy, blindness, or deafness.1 These children do, however, have higher rates of learning disability, attention problems, and behavior problems than children born at full term.4 These personal stories may help you make your decision.
