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Glossary

Term	Definition
Cerebral palsy	A lifelong condition affects an individual’s muscle control, movement and co-ordination. Cerebral palsy is usually caused by an injury that occurs to the brain either before, during or shortly after birth.
Chronic lung disease of prematurity	A condition affecting the lungs of preterm babies leading to difficulties with breathing. Although most preterm babies fully recover, a few may have lifelong breathing difficulties as a result of chronic lung disease of prematurity.
Extremely preterm	Birth before 28 completed weeks of gestation.
Gestation	The period of time during which a baby develops in the womb. The length of a pregnancy is measured in the number of weeks of gestation.
Intraventricular haemorrhage	The blood vessels in a preterm baby’s brain are fragile and can burst easily. An intraventricular haemorrhage occurs when the blood vessels burst and blood leaks into the spaces in the brain where fluid is stored, called the ventricles. If severe, an intraventricular haemorrhage can lead to developmental problems or disability later in life.
Moderate and late preterm	Birth at 32 to 36 weeks of gestation.
Necrotising enterocolitis	very preterm babies’ digestive systems are under-developed at birth. This means their intestine, the tube that carries food from the stomach to the bowel, can become damaged easily. Necrotising enterocolitis is a condition in which a very preterm baby’s intestine becomes damaged, sore and swollen. If severe, this may need surgery to repair the baby’s intestine and it can lead to long term digestive problems.
Neonatal unit	A neonatal unit (NNU), or neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is a hospital ward specialising in the care of sick or premature babies.
Neonatologist	A doctor who specialises in the care of newborn babies.
Occupational therapist	A health professional who helps children and adults to perform everyday activities.
Preterm	Birth before 37 completed weeks of gestation.
Retinopathy of prematurity	A condition that can occur as a result of very preterm birth in which the blood vessels in the retina, at the back of the eye, grow abnormally. If severe and not treated successfully, it can lead to visual impairment or blindness.
Surfactant	The lungs naturally produce a chemical called surfactant to help them stay open when a person breathes out. Very preterm babies may not produce enough surfactant in the first days after birth, which means their lungs may collapse in between breaths. Artificial surfactant is often given as a medicine to very preterm babies to stop their lungs collapsing and to help them breathe.
Term	Birth at 37 to 42 weeks of gestation.
Very preterm	Birth before 32 completed weeks of gestation.

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