At what stage of pregnancy is baby "viable"

MX5huggy

I predict it will 2 weeks late and 10lbs! with a head Circ of 39cm. I recommend not trying to have it at home! (bitter experience as a interested 3rd party)

Evansangel

Someone i know gave birth at 32weeks, and now he has just had his first birthday.

angela6834

Zaksmum, I gave birth at 31 weeks last year. Was obviously a scary time but she is a fit and healthy 18 month old now.

Good luck x

mum2twinsx2

my daughters were born at 28 weeks and are both fit and healthy now. viability is 24 weeks

zaksmum

Thank you all so much for your replies. I feel much reassured now. Hoping that we are inching to safety(God willing). I obviously haven't voiced my fears to my daughter but it's good to be able to find the answers to them with the kind people on here.

tiamai_d

Don't voice your concerns. She probably has enough of her own.

I had 2 very high risk pregnancies (not counting the first which was normal till 31 weeks). I was worried enough for myself but other people telling me how worried they were really got me down. It also meant that I felt I had nobody to talk to about my fears, I was so worried about them worying!

So worry for her, but don't let her see.

sexki11en

If it helps, I was born at 29+5 (31 years ago) and although I was tiny (3lb10) and even though things weren't as advanced as they are now, here I am, typing away. I was in SCBU for a long time (almost 6 months) but I have no underlying issues from it (not medical anyway :rotfl:). Breathe easy.

SK x

pupsicola

I think it is 24 weeks that a baby becomes viable. Definately would be at 31 weeks. Though baby would need alot of initial care.

I lost a baby in between having my two boys. Spent all of that pregnancy worried things would go wrong. Regret that now as didn't enjoy one bit of what was my last pregnancy. I think once babies get beyond 36 weeks there lungs are much stronger. My youngest was born at 37 weeks and weighed 7lbs, dread to think what he would have ended up weighing if he had gone to term or beyond.

Good luck

[Deleted User]

I hope everything turns out well for you and your daughter and I echo the other advice mentioned here.

My mother had a hard time carrying babies and in 1972 my brother threatened to come at 5months, she was hospitalised and made to lie on her back completely for 2 months and he came at 34 weeks, healthy and bouncing about.

With me I came at 26 weeks at 2lbs 7 and dropped to 1lb 7oz and it was touch and go for a long time, this was 1975, but i eventually left hospital a week before I was due.

I worried with my two that it might be hereditary, but I had our first out 37 weeks and our second at 41weeks. So we now blame Mum's smoking (allowed by hospital too, they had ashtrays by bedside) and lack of information. All the way through my pregnancies my mum would say we were never told that, you know so much more these days.

Relax, i'd say your in the clear.

And I now have nearly 3yr old jigging up and down on my sofa and a 4 yr old engrossed in lego.

heretolearn_2

I found this table for you

Odds of a Premature Baby's Survival by Length of Pregnancy
Length of PregnancyLikelihood of Survival
23 weeks17%
24 weeks39%
25 weeks50%
26 weeks80%
27 weeks90%
28-31 weeks90-95%
32-33 weeks95%
34+ weeksAlmost as likely as a full-term baby
Sources: March of Dimes, Quint Boenker Preemie Survival Foundation


so there you go...she is pretty much in the clear now..another week and it's 95%, another two weeks and it's virtually the same as full term. Once they get past 28 weeks they are pretty safe...most of the prems who have problems after that stage already have other problems already (that's my impression anyway, don't forget these stats will include babies with serious disabilities/disorders that have made them prem) so if this is a healthy pregnancy and baby, no worries at scans etc, RELAX!