Stages
of Prematurity
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Measuring
Prematurity
How Common is Prematurity
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Asked Questions
How Common is Prematurity?
Prematurity is common, but extreme prematurity (less than 31 weeks gestation) is not. The table below indicates the incidence of prematurity*
Gestational Age of Births in the United States in 1997
| Gestational Age (weeks) | Births | Percent |
| 42 or more (Past Term) | 302,541 | 7.9% |
| 37-41 (Term) | 3,103,295 | 80.8% |
| 36 (Preterm) | 157,965 | 4.1% |
| 32-35 | 204,232 | 5.3% |
| 28-31 | 46,398 | 1.2% |
| 27 or less | 28,005 | 0.7% |
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