If you've been told you may have to give birth very early, you probably have questions and concerns about your baby being born so young. Most babies can survive outside the womb when they're around 22 to 23 weeks, but it's difficult to pinpoint an exact age. Show After that, the chances of survival increase steadily, and babies around 28 weeks generally have a high rate of surviving with little or no long-term health problems. Several things – like your health and the sex of your baby – can also impact when they'll be able to survive outside the womb. Fetal viability is typically defined as the point when your baby can survive outside the womb. Depending on when your baby is born though, they may need around-the-clock medical care and intervention in order to survive. Viability is a broad-spectrum term that includes the periviable, or premature stages. When will my baby reach the point of fetal viability?Unfortunately, fetal viability is not always so clear cut. While fetal viability is generally considered to occur at 24 weeks, some doctors now consider 22 or 23 weeks a potential point of viability, thanks to amazing advances in medical technology that allow some babies to survive at younger gestational ages (gestational age simply means the time your baby was in the womb). It may be more helpful to look at how the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) breaks down survival rates based on premature birth ages, since the rates change dramatically during the late-second trimester and early-third trimester weeks.
Essentially, the absolute earliest a baby could survive outside the womb is between 22 and 23 weeks, though a baby born this early would require major life-saving interventions. This is still considered the point of fetal viability, however, since a small number of babies can and do survive birth at this stage. What is a periviable birth?A periviable birth is one that occurs between 20 and 25 weeks of pregnancy or gestation, or at the limit of viability. Because the 20 to 25-week gestational age includes the earliest point of fetal viability, there will be more complications associated with these births, more potential short- and long-term health risks, and more interventions needed to help a periviable baby survive. There is some overlap here with premature birth, which is usually defined as a birth that occurs before 37 weeks of pregnancy. While many premature babies have a high chance of survival – one that increases with every week they spend in the womb, growing closer to full term – the outcomes for periviable babies are less certain. For example, the survival rate for babies before 24 weeks is 50 percent, but babies born about one month later, at 28 weeks, have an 80 to 90 percent survival rate. Likewise, the chances of long-term health effects decrease as your baby gets older, gestationally-speaking; about 40 percent of babies born before 24 weeks have long-term health effects, compared to 10 percent of babies born at 28 weeks. Is there anything I can do to predict if my baby can survive outside the womb?The closer your baby gets to their due date, the better their chances of surviving and being healthy in the long term. Once your baby reaches 26 weeks, their chances of surviving without serious consequences improve dramatically. Before 26 weeks, there are many factors that affect your baby's chances of survival and having long-term health problems if they're born very early. These include:
Learn more about the outlook for preemies born at various gestational ages. By the time you're 24 weeks pregnant, the baby has a chance of survival if they are born. Most babies born before this time cannot live because their lungs and other vital organs are not developed enough. The care that can now be given in baby (neonatal) units means more and more babies born early do survive. But for babies born around this time, there are increased
risks of disability. Find out about premature labour and birth and special care for babies. You at 24 weeksYou may get thrush in pregnancy. Having thrush when you're pregnant can be irritating but it will not harm your baby. Your midwife can recommend treatment. See your doctor or midwife if you have any pain when you pee. This could be sign of a urinary tract infection (UTI) that needs treating. Things to think about
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At what gestation is a fetus viable
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