Babies are considered preterm if they are ______.

A) born at least 3 months prior to their due date
B) born before their due date
C) almost full term but have experienced slow growth
D) smaller than expected for their gestational age

Preterm babies are those who are born before their due date. They can be born anywhere from a few weeks to a few months early. Option A is incorrect because 3 months would be considered extremely preterm, which is not the case for all preterm babies. Option C is incorrect because slow growth is not the sole factor in determining preterm status. Option D is incorrect because babies can be small for gestational age but still born at full term.