Babies who are born before the end of 37 weeks of gestation and have a normal rate of intrauterine growth are called ________.

Correct option is B

✅ (b) Preterm
Explanation:
A preterm baby is defined as a baby born before completing 37 weeks of gestation, regardless of weight or growth rate. These babies are also called premature infants.
Classification of Preterm Births:

Preterm babies may have immature organs, requiring special medical care (e.g., respiratory support, temperature regulation, feeding assistance).
Why Other Options Are Incorrect?
❌ (a) Big for date
· A baby is considered big for date (Large for Gestational Age - LGA) if birth weight is higher than the 90th percentile for gestational age.
· This usually happens due to maternal diabetes or genetic factors, but it does not indicate preterm birth.
❌ (c) Small for date (SFD)
· Small for date (SFD) or Small for Gestational Age (SGA) refers to babies who have a lower birth weight than expected for their gestational age.
· SFD babies may be full-term or preterm, but the term SFD refers to weight, not gestational age.
❌ (d) Post-term
· Post-term babies are born after 42 weeks of gestation.
· Post-term pregnancies can increase risks of fetal distress, meconium aspiration, and birth complications.
Conclusion:
A baby born before 37 weeks of gestation with normal intrauterine growth is classified as preterm. These babies often require specialized neonatal care to support lung development, feeding, and thermoregulation.
Thus, the correct answer is (b) Preterm. ✅