Early neonatal outcome in late preterms

Area of Science:

• Neonatal Health
• Perinatal Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• Late preterm neonates (34-36 weeks gestation) represent a significant proportion of preterm births.
• These infants are often perceived as similar to term infants but experience higher rates of adverse outcomes.
• Understanding the specific risks and contributing factors is crucial for improving neonatal care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare maternal risk factors, morbidity, and mortality between late preterm and term neonates.
• To identify predictors of morbidity in late preterm infants.

Main Methods:

• A cohort study comparing 250 late preterm and 250 term newborns.
• Follow-up until hospital discharge to record morbidities and mortality.
• Analysis of maternal and neonatal factors, including hypertension, infections, and gestational age.

Main Results:

• Late preterm neonates experienced significantly higher rates of major morbidity (42.4%) compared to term controls (8.4%).
• Specific morbidities including respiratory distress, need for ventilation, sepsis, seizures, shock, and jaundice were more frequent in late preterm infants.
• Maternal hypertension (OR 2.69) and infections (OR 2.08) were associated with increased odds of major morbidity.
• Lower gestational age and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy were significant predictors of morbidity.

Conclusions:

• Late preterm neonates exhibit substantially greater morbidity and mortality than their term counterparts.
• Maternal hypertension and reduced gestational age are critical risk factors for neonatal morbidity in this population.