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Every year nearly 500,000 babies are born prematurely in the United States, and can suffer from a range of short- and long-term health problems like apnea, jaundice and anemia. Although delivering, caring and sometimes even losing a premature baby can be a trying experience, many celebrities like Sherri Shepherd, Celine Dion and others have been open and honest about their experiences as parents of preemies. Here are 15 celebs who’ve given birth to premature babies.

Source: WENN

Sherri Shepherd

Sherri Shepherd’s son, Jeffrey, was born 15 weeks early, weighing just 1 pound, 10 ounces. Doctors doubted that Jeffrey would ever be able to run – and while he does have some developmental delays, he’s progressed much further than was initially expected. Which is exactly why recent accusations of Sherri being a neglectful mom by her ex-husband are especially shocking.

Source: Vogue

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s daughter, North, was born 3-5 weeks premature after medical complications forced Kim to be admitted into the hospital. Despite her early arrival, the now 11-month-old looks to be happy and healthy, and is definitely cute as button!

Image Source: Tumblr.com

Phaedra Parks and Apollo Nida

Last year Phaedra gave birth to her second son, Dylan, three weeks early while on a business trip in Augusta, nearly 150 miles from her home in Atlanta. Although little Dylan arrived early Phaedra reported to US Weekly that he was still a healthy 7 pounds, 9 ounces at birth.

Source: WENN

Nancy Grace

Nancy Grace gave birth to twins, John and Lucy, eight weeks early via emergency C-section. At birth, her son John weighed 5 pounds, 1 ounce and daughter Lucy just 2 pounds, 15 ounces. The babies were each kept in NICU for three weeks and six weeks, while Nancy also remained in the hospital for a pulmonary edema.

Source: WENN

Ne-yo and Monyetta Shaw

Ne-yo and Monyetta Shaw’s first child, Madilyn Grace Smith, was born two months premature, but still healthy. After the birth of his daughter Ne-yo tweeted,

“Welcoming that lil’ girl to the world last night defined for me what ‘willing to kill and die for’ truly means. My world, my life, all hers.”

Image Source: WENN.com

Nadya Suleman

On January 26, 2009 Nadya Suleman gave birth to eight premature babies weighing between 1 pound, 8 ounces and 3 pounds, 4 ounces. At birth, all eight babies were reported healthy, though two required a ventilator and another required extra oxygen. One week after their birth, the babies became the longest living octuplets in United States history and Nadya set the Guinness World Record for Most Children Delivered at Birth to Survive.

WENN

Kate Gosselin

Reality TV starlet Kate Gosselin gave birth to her twins five weeks early in 2000, and her sextuplets 10 weeks early in 2004. Although prematurity is common in multiple births resulting from fertility treatments, Kate recently revealed in her newest book that she was actually pregnant with seven babies, but miscarried one.