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Published on: November 20, 2015
Outcomes in preterm infants
1Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK.
Insights
Preterm birth, before 37 weeks, impacts over 41,000 infants daily worldwide. Risks increase with earlier births and also for post-term births after 42 weeks.
Area of Science:
- Perinatology
- Neonatal Health
- Public Health
Background:
- Preterm birth affects over 41,000 infants globally each day, defined as birth before 37 completed weeks of gestation.
- Adverse outcomes associated with preterm birth generally decrease as gestational age increases.
- Infant health risks are not limited to preterm births, with elevated risks also observed in late-term and post-term gestations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the spectrum of risks associated with various gestational ages at birth.
- To highlight the consequences of preterm birth while also considering risks at other gestational milestones.
Main Methods:
- This study reviews existing data and literature on infant outcomes based on gestational age.
- Analysis focuses on comparing risks across different preterm, term, and post-term birth windows.
Main Results:
- The risk of adverse consequences for infants significantly declines with increasing gestational age from preterm to term.
- Infants born at 38 and 39 weeks gestation face higher risks than those born at 40 weeks.
- Neonatal mortality risk increases again for infants born beyond 42 weeks gestation.
Conclusions:
- Gestational age at birth is a critical determinant of infant health outcomes.
- While preterm birth carries significant risks, late-term and post-term births also present increased risks that warrant attention.
- Optimizing delivery timing around the 40-week mark is crucial for minimizing adverse neonatal outcomes.
Abstract:
Preterm birth is defined as birth before 37 completed weeks gestation, and it is estimated that each day, across the world over 41,000 infants are born before this gestational age. The risk of adverse consequences declines with increasing gestational age. While this paper focuses on the consequences of preterm birth, the adverse consequences for infants born at 38 and 39 weeks gestation are also of a higher risk than those for infants born at 40 weeks gestation, with the neonatal mortality risk increasing again in infants born beyond the 42nd week of gestation.
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