prematurity

From premature +‎ -ity.

prematurity (usually uncountable, plural prematurities)

1. (uncountable) The condition of (a baby, etc.) being premature.
   • 1995, Otfried Spreen, Anthony H. Risser, Dorothy Edgell, Developmental Neuropsychology, page 212:

     The questions of prematurity and low birth weight and the implications for later development are consistent with the theme of risk and vulnerability discussed throughout the book.

   • 2008, Eric C. Eichenwald, “Apnea of Prematurity”, in Dara Brodsky, Mary Ann Ouellette, editors, Primary Care of the Premature Infant, page 19:

     Apnea of prematurity represents a striking disorder of respiratory control.

   • 2013, Andrew Lyon, “8: Prematurity”, in Jean W. Keeling, editor, Fetal and Neonatal Pathology, page 207:

     In Table 8.2, problems of prematurity are second only to congenital abnormalities as the cause of neonatal death.

2. Something that is premature or occurs prematurely.
   • 1959, Lawrence E. Lamb, editor, The first International Symposium on Cardiology in Aviation, conducted at the School of Aviation Medicine, 12-13 November, 1959, page 187:

     Those individuals in the third group with 5 to 10 prematurities noted averaged 7 prematurities for every 57 heart beats […] .

   • 1990, Irving Glickman, Glickman's Clinical Periodontology, page 723:

     Not all patients with occlusal prematurities have trauma from occlusion.

   • 2015, Roger Solow, “Chapter 14: Centric Relation Records and T-scan Occlusal Analysis of Centric Relation Prematurities”, in Robert B. Kerstein, editor, Handbook of Research on Computerized Occlusal Analysis Technology, page 666:

     Studies might compare the accuracy of locating Centric Relation prematurities determined by mounted diagnostic models and the T-Scan.

• (condition of being premature): prematureness; see also Thesaurus:earliness