Preterm birth is defined as gestational age less than how many weeks?

Preterm birth is defined as gestational age less than how many weeks?

• A. <35 weeks
• B. 35-38 weeks
• C. 39-42 weeks
• D. >42 weeks

Answer: (A)

Preterm birth is defined by how far along the pregnancy has progressed at the time of birth. The standard cutoff is birth before 37 completed weeks of gestation. If birth happens prior to 37 weeks, the baby is considered preterm. Clinically, preterm is further divided into extreme preterm (<28 weeks), very preterm (28–32 weeks), and moderate to late preterm (32–36 6/7 weeks). In contrast, 39–42 weeks is term, and more than 42 weeks is post-term. The important boundary to memorize is the 37-week mark.

Preterm birth is defined by how far along the pregnancy has progressed at the time of birth. The standard cutoff is birth before 37 completed weeks of gestation. If birth happens prior to 37 weeks, the baby is considered preterm. Clinically, preterm is further divided into extreme preterm (<28 weeks), very preterm (28–32 weeks), and moderate to late preterm (32–36 6/7 weeks). In contrast, 39–42 weeks is term, and more than 42 weeks is post-term. The important boundary to memorize is the 37-week mark.