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Mortality and morbidity in extremely preterm infants (22 to 26 weeks of gestation): Austria 1999-2001

Christina Weber1, Manfred Weninger, Katrin Klebermass

  • 1Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.

Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift
|January 18, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Extremely preterm infants born between 22 to 26 weeks gestation face high mortality and morbidity. Outcomes significantly worsen with earlier gestational age, highlighting the critical impact of prematurity.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatalogy
  • Perinatal Medicine
  • Pediatric Outcomes Research

Background:

  • Extremely preterm infants (22-26 weeks gestation) represent a vulnerable population with significant short- and long-term health challenges.
  • Understanding the national-level outcomes for this cohort is crucial for guiding clinical practice and resource allocation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze mortality and morbidity rates in extremely preterm infants born in Austria between 1999-2001.
  • To assess the impact of gestational age on short-term outcomes (mortality, chronic lung disease, severe retinopathy of prematurity) and long-term outcomes (cerebral palsy).

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of data from 16 Austrian neonatal intensive care units.
  • Inclusion criteria: infants born between 22 and 26 weeks gestation.
  • Outcome measures: mortality, chronic lung disease (CLD), severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP stage ≥3), and cerebral palsy (CP) at corrected age of 12 months.

Main Results:

  • Mortality rates ranged from 83% at 22 weeks to 13% at 26 weeks gestation.
  • Rates of CLD, severe ROP (stage ≥3), and CP generally increased with decreasing gestational age.
  • For example, CP rates were 33% (22 weeks) to 25% (26 weeks).

Conclusions:

  • Mortality and morbidity significantly increase as gestational age decreases in extremely preterm infants.
  • Findings align with international literature, underscoring the challenges in managing this high-risk population.
  • Gestational age is a critical determinant of survival and neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Abstract

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