Are 7th month preemies tougher?

It is generally believed in China that babies born in the 7th month of pregnancy stand a better chance of surviving than those born in the 8th.

Ma Jianian of the Home for Premature Babies says this is because births that occur in the 7th month are caused by factors related to the mother's health, while those occurring after eight months are more likely to result from the baby's own conditions, such as respiratory distress. Therefore, 7th month babies tend to be stronger in developing body functions after birth.

Dr Li Qiuping, from Bayi Children's Hospital in Beijing, defines premature babies as those born before 37 weeks of pregnancy.