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premature infant

premature infant

1 4.0
A baby born before 37 weeks of pregnancy
  • noun
  • /ˈpriːməˌtʃʊr ˈɪnfənt/
translation icon : bebé prematuro
  • In 1942, retrolental fibroplasia was established on the medical horizon as a new disease of premature infants.

So a very common score that's used to try to characterize risk for premature infant, for infant birth, generally speaking, is known as the Apgar score.

Examples

  • Home care equipment ranges from blood glucose monitoring for the diabetic to intensive care units for the premature infant to rehabilitation devices for post-surgical patients.

    Academic text (1994)
  • The authors then reported on an 18-hospital cooperative study completed in 1955 that established the relationship between the exposure of premature infants to concentrations of oxygen in excess of 40% and the development of the disease.

    Academic text (2006)
  • Because incubators were a new technology, the effects of oxygen on premature infants were not yet understood.

    Academic text (2009)
  • The support out there for parents, premature infants and infants with other kinds of health and developmental problems is spotty to say the least.

  • Nursery acute care reflects the daily nursing care for normal newborn infants and premature infants not requiring extra care.

    Academic text (2002)
  • Although all children are at risk for maltreatment and abuse, first-born children, premature infants, stepchildren, and children with learning or physical disabilities are at greater risk.

    Academic text (2006)
  • The results of their research showed low rates of conversion, confirming other studies that show that DHA in formula administered to premature infants improved their eyesight and cognition.

    Academic text (2006)
  • Judy also showed "Jami's Song" to Kay Raheja, a childbirth educator who, in turn, shared the poem with several moms of premature infants.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • Many organizations provide support for parents of premature infants in their care journey.

  • Doctors monitor premature infants closely to ensure they receive the necessary medical attention for healthy development.

Synonyms

preemie
vspremature infant
  • Informal
8 8.0

A baby born before 37 weeks of pregnancy

is strictly defined as a birth before 37 completed weeks
preterm
vspremature infant
  • Specialized
6 5.1

A baby born before 37 weeks of pregnancy

is limited to births before 37 completed weeks rather than broader timing
premature baby
vspremature infant
5 3.1

A baby who is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy

is similar but uses more clinical phrasing
premie
vspremature infant
  • Informal
1 8.4

A baby born too early before 37 weeks of pregnancy

is expressed as a plain description rather than a brief name
preterm baby
vspremature infant
  • Specialized
1 3.9

A baby born before 37 weeks of pregnancy

is expressed in more general everyday wording
preterm infant
vspremature infant
  • Specialized
1 4.4

A baby who is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy

is the same idea but phrased more plainly

Antonyms

4 3.7

A baby born after about 37 to 42 weeks of pregnancy

How Early

premature infant
1 4.0
full-term
4 3.7

Surface Forms

Morphology

premature + infant

The meaning 'a baby born before 37 weeks' is directly derivable from combining 'premature' (early/before the expected time) with 'infant' (a baby). This adjective + noun composition is a regular, compositional pattern found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will understand the MWE.

Etymology

Premature infant gives a simple picture: a baby who comes too early. The word premature means 'before fully ready' and infant is a baby, so the phrase means a baby born before 37 weeks of pregnancy.