A pregnancy normally lasts about 40 weeks. Some risk factors for premature birth include having a previous premature birth and being pregnant with multiples. Complications associated with a premature birth include immature lungs, difficulty regulating body temperature, poor feeding and slow weight gain. Premature babies may need longer or more intense nursery care, medication and sometimes surgery. Preterm and premature mean the same thing — early. Preterm labor is labor that begins early, before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Labor is the process your body goes through to give birth to your baby. Preterm labor can lead to premature birth. Premature birth is when your baby is born early, before 37 weeks of pregnancy.