More babies born at 22 weeks are surviving, but it’s still legal to kill them

A 2025 study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) has revealed that both active medical treatment and the survival rate of babies born as early as 22 weeks are increasing.

Key Takeaways:

• A new study found that active treatment and survival rates for babies born at 22 weeks and 23 weeks are increasing.

• Between 2014 and 2023, survival among 22-weekers who received active treatment rose from 25.7% to 41%.

• Rates of survival rose from 7.4% to 32% for babies born at 22 weeks who did not receive active treatment.

The Details:

The study analyzed the survival rates of nearly 58,918 premature infants. According to MedPage Today, both active treatment and survival rates among 22-week premature infants increased. Active treatment rose from 28.8% to 78.6% and survival rates for those infants increased from 25.7% to 41%. Active treatment as well as survival rates for infants with active treatment also increased for those born at 23 weeks. Active treatment rose from 87.4% to 94.7% and survival rates rose from 53.8% to 57.9%.

Active treatment includes face mask ventilation, nasal continuous positive airway pressure, endotracheal intubation, surfactant therapy, mechanical ventilation, chest compressions, or ephinephrine.

“We know that the limit of viability has been shifting over time,” Nansi Boghossian, PhD, of the University of South Carolina, told MedPage Today. “This study provides compelling evidence of how medical advancements and evolving clinical guidelines have contributed to that shift.

“The most striking result is the sharp increase in active treatment for 22-week infants… this indicates a growing willingness among clinicians to intervene aggressively at the earliest stages of prematurity.”

Among all babies born at 22 weeks, regardless of whether they received active treatment, survival increased from 7.4% to 32%. For those born at 23 weeks who did not receive active treatment, survival rose from 46.9% to 54.7%.

“The increasing rate of active treatment for 22-week infants suggests that neonatal teams are increasingly intervening at the threshold of viability,” said Boghossian. “This underscores the importance of ongoing discussions about prognosis, parental counseling, and hospital policies that guide decision making in periviable births.”

The study also found that Black babies born at 22 weeks were more likely to receive active care. Forty percent of the infants in the study were Black, 24% were Hispanic, and 36% were white.

“While Black infants were more likely to receive active treatment than white infants, previous research has shown disparities in neonatal outcomes based on race and hospital-level factors,” said Boghossian. “Clinicians must remain mindful of potential biases and ensure that all families receive comprehensive and unbiased counseling regarding treatment options.”

Why it Matters:

Babies born before 24 weeks are often denied medical care, as some doctors may erroneously believe they are not able to be saved. In other circumstances, the hospital at which a baby is born prematurely is not capable of caring for such a preemie. The organization TwentyTwoMatters created a map of hospitals willing to help these children.

In addition, many states allow abortion through 24 weeks, while nine states and Washington, D.C. allow abortion through all 40 weeks of pregnancy. The most common abortion procedure in the second trimester is a D&E abortion, which involves dismembering the baby and crushing her skull. Many of these babies are old enough to survive outside the womb.

A Never Before Seen Look At Human Life In The Womb | Baby Olivia

If a pregnancy must end, doctors can deliver the baby alive. It is completely unnecessary to intentionally kill a preborn child, even to save the mother’s life.

Editor’s Note 8/17/2025: The survival rates were updated to reflect the accurate numbers. 

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