Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 16, 2026
Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
Outcomes of infants born near term
1Neonatal Unit, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, UK.
Insights
Infants born late preterm (34-36 weeks) and early term (37-38 weeks) face increased health risks. Gestational age is a continuum, with risks rising as gestation decreases, even near full term.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal research
- Perinatal epidemiology
- Maternal-fetal medicine
Background:
- Historically, preterm birth research focused on infants born before 32 weeks gestation.
- Recent studies increasingly examine late preterm infants (34-36 weeks gestation).
- Emerging evidence includes early-term births (37-38 weeks gestation).
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current evidence on outcomes for late preterm and early-term infants.
- To highlight the continuum of risk associated with decreasing gestational age.
- To challenge the traditional term vs. preterm dichotomy.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of epidemiological studies.
- Analysis of neonatal and infant outcomes.
- Synthesis of data on mortality and morbidity.
Main Results:
- Late preterm and early-term births are associated with increased mortality and adverse neonatal outcomes.
- Risks are demonstrably higher with decreasing gestational age, even close to full term.
- Gestational age presents a continuum of risk rather than distinct categories.
Conclusions:
- Adverse outcomes are not limited to extremely preterm infants.
- Gestational age continuum necessitates a nuanced approach to risk assessment.
- Further research is needed to fully understand long-term outcomes for these infants.
Abstract:
Most research on outcomes of preterm birth has centred on babies born at <32 weeks gestation and at highest risk of mortality and serious morbidity. Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in studies focusing on late preterm infants (34-36 weeks gestation). Early epidemiological studies demonstrated increased risks of mortality and adverse neonatal outcomes in this group, prompting further investigations. These increased risks have been confirmed and more recent studies have also included babies born at 37-38 weeks, now defined as 'early-term' births. It now seems that it is inappropriate to consider term and preterm as a dichotomy; gestational age rather represents a continuum in which risk and severity of adverse outcomes increase with decreasing gestational age, but where measurable effects can be detected even very close to full term. In this review, we summarise current evidence for the outcomes of infants born at late preterm and early-term gestations.
Related Concept Videos
01:07Teratogenicity
01:11Guidelines for Writing Outcome
Patient outcomes reflect the patient's response to the goal rather than what the nurse aims to achieve. Terminology should be observable and measurable to avoid the reader's interpretation. The desired outcome should be realistic and achievable in the designated care timeframe. Expected outcomes should align with adjunctive therapies. The outcome should enhance care...
01:30Socioemotional Development during Infancy
Primary Temperament Types
01:14Fetal Circulation
Two umbilical arteries transport blood from the fetus to the placenta. At the placenta, the blood absorbs oxygen and nutrients while simultaneously eliminating waste products. This oxygen-enriched and nutrient-rich blood then returns to the fetus through one...
01:22Development of Immunocompetence
The initial cells that migrate from the fetal thymus settle within the skin and epithelial tissues lining the mouth, digestive tract, and in females, the uterus and vagina. These cells, including skin-based dendritic cells, serve as antigen-presenting cells, playing a key role in T cell activation.
Subsequent T...