Duration of hospitalization in extremely preterm infants

This study reports the age at hospital discharge of 233 survivors and age at death of 209 infants who were born at 23-28 weeks gestation over a 10 year period, 1977-86. The mean duration of hospitalization of survivors was 95 days and was inversely related to maturity at birth; those born at 23-25 weeks remained in hospital on average 1-2 weeks beyond term while those born at 26-28 weeks went home on average at term or 1 week before term. The mean age at death was 12 days: 53% within 1 day, 23% between 2 and 7 days, 15% between 8 and 28 days and 9% between 28 days and 1 year. The proportions of death in the post-neonatal period for infants born at 23-24 weeks, 25-26 weeks and 27-28 weeks were 2, 9 and 16% respectively. There was no significant trend in prolonged hospitalization of survivors or postponement of neonatal deaths to the post-neonatal period over the 1977-86 period. Nevertheless, both neonatal and post-neonatal mortality should continually be monitored in this extremely preterm group.