History Main / PrematureBirthDrama

* ''Series/{{Roseanne}}'': In the last season of the show, Darlene goes into labor ''extremely'' early. After she's taken to the hospital, Roseanne, who won a [[Fiction500 huge lottery jackpot]] earlier in the season, declares that she "wants the best doctor on the goddamn ''planet''" and has obstetricians literally flown in from across the globe to help. When even they tell her that there's not much they can do, she protests that she'll pay for anything and everything they need, but is [[AnAesop forced to learn]] that there are some problems all the money in the world can't fix. Instead, the Conner women (Bev, Roseanne, Jackie, Becky, and Darlene) gather around the baby, hold her one by one, and promise that they will never let her go, while Dan does his best to offer wisdom to a frantic David. It's worth noting that the doctors warn the group that taking the child out of her incubator for even a moment is an incredible risk, so the scene is even more of a TearJerker. The baby, who Darlene names "Harris Conner Healy" after the women in her family, ends up living, with the specialists outright declaring it a miracle. Particularly touching is the scene where each woman delivers a monologue to the child: Bev declares that she senses that the baby--her first great-grandchild--is incredibly strong and won't give up; Jackie tearfully says that Harris feels herself slipping away, they will catch her and bring her back; Darlene breaks down and pleads with the baby to stay with them; and Roseanne holds her tiny granddaughter in her arms and begs forgiveness:

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* ''Webcomic/ImAllOutOfHealth'': Ninenya's mother was so stressed from watching her family getting executed for treason that she gave birth to Ninenya early, causing Ninenya to be DelicateAndSickly for the first twenty years of her life.
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* ''{{Manga/Berserk}}'': Guts and Casca's child is born long before Casca even looks pregnant due to her [[spoiler:being raped by Griffith]] during the Eclipse. As a result, Guts is regularly visited by a deformed, one-eyed floating fetus which he tries to kill [[spoiler:that eventually becomes a healthy-looking child]].

* The ''WesternAnimation/BobsBurgers'' fanfic ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/46503781/chapters/117095668 Birth of a Legend]]'' is about Louise being born at thirty weeks after a near-miscarriage, ending up in the NICU and too sick to be held for weeks. She ends up being fed through a tube until her second birthday, which is one reason Bob values Thanksgiving so much -- he felt awful Louise couldn't even eat on her first Thanksgivings. Linda seems to have severe PTSD from the birth, and when she finally brings herself to tell Louise, Louise feels bolder than even after learning she was expected to be miscarried or at least permanently disabled (though she does seem to have stunted growth).
* The ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse'' fanfic ''[[https://www.deviantart.com/firstdrellspectre/art/Loud-House-Fanfiction-Lucy-s-Birth-733595773 Lucy's Birth]]'' has Lucy as a preemie. She had to stay in the hospital for quite a while, and it's implied that she almost died because she was named after one of the doctors who's said to have "saved" her. Her pale skin is [[AdaptationExpansion explained]] as her being anemic, and she has chronic bloodshot eyes[[note]]Giving a more concrete reason as to why Lynn Sr. and Rita wanted to keep her eyes hidden since they creeped them out.[[/note]], both of which are likely a direct result of her premature birth.
* In the ''Series/Numb3rs'' fanfic ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/62839/chapters/83047 A Woman Waits for Me]]'', Don and his wife, Anne (an original character), have their son, Mattie, two months early due to Anne having damage in her uterus. While it is touch and go for a while, their son ultimately pulls through and is able to go home a couple months later.
* The ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'' [[AdaptationalMundanity Human AU]] fanfic ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/20896226 Too Soon]]'' sees Winona Damon give birth to her third daughter Piper four months early. While it is touch and go for a while, Piper ultimately pulls through and is able to go home.

* In ''Fanfic/AnAcceptableArrangement'' this is out of focus, but it's mentioned that besides dealing with [[spoiler: Hou Yue's]] death in childbirth, the surviving members of the family have to deal with a premature and ''very'' weak [[spoiler: Nie Huaisang]], who was born almost two months early.

* ''Literature/AnneOfGreenGables:'' In ''Anne's House of Dreams,'' Anne and Gilbert's blissful life as newlyweds is shattered when their first child, Joyce, is born too early in a time before modern medicine. She lives less than a day, and it has a sobering effect on the narrative. It's implied Anne and Gilbert carry this with them the rest of their lives.

* ''Series/ThisIsUs'': In season three, Kate gives birth to a son at 28 weeks and he has to be put in NICU for a while. The baby, named Jack after her father, later loses his sight at three months old.

* ''Literature/AnneOfGreenGables:'' In ''Anne's House of Dreams,'' Anne and Gilbert's blissful lives as newlyweds is shattered when their first child, Joyce, is born too early in a time before modern medicine. She lives less than a day, and it has a sobering effect on the narrative. It's implied Anne and Gilbert carry this with them the rest of their lives.

* ''Series/Charmed1998'': Piper's first pregnancy ends with her going into labor six weeks early, something her doctor had warned her might happen due to her high blood pressure. To make matters worse, it happens when all of magic is [[DePower deactivated]] and she's being held prisoner by demons.