Gender differences in survival rates among extreme low birth weight infants: Insight from a 16-year, single-centre...

Area of Science:

• Neonatalogy
• Perinatology
• Pediatric Survival Studies

Background:

• Extreme low birth weight (ELBW) infants (<1000g) represent a vulnerable population with significant neonatal mortality and morbidity.
• Despite their low proportion of live births, ELBW infants contribute disproportionately to neonatal deaths and long-term health issues.
• Understanding survival trends and influencing factors in ELBW infants is critical for improving neonatal care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze survival trends of extreme low birth weight (ELBW) infants over a 16-year period.
• To investigate the impact of infant gender on the survival odds of ELBW infants.
• To identify specific birth weight thresholds where gender differences in survival are most significant.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study of ELBW infants admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit from 2008 to 2023.
• Analysis of survival rates stratified by infant gender.
• Statistical evaluation of survival odds, including odds ratios and p-values, to determine significance.

Main Results:

• A total of 336 ELBW infants were included: 175 males (52.1%) and 161 females (47.9%).
• Female ELBW infants exhibited a higher survival rate (78.9%) compared to males (68.6%), with an odds ratio of 1.712 (p=0.017).
• The survival advantage for females was more pronounced in infants with birth weights below 750g (62% vs 44%), with an odds ratio of 2.06 (p=0.023).

Conclusions:

• Female ELBW infants demonstrate a statistically significant higher survival rate compared to their male counterparts.
• The survival benefit for female ELBW infants is particularly evident in the extremely low birth weight category (<750g).
• These findings highlight the importance of considering gender in the management and prognostication of ELBW infants.