Related Experiment Videos
Mortality and morbidity in infants less than 1,001 grams birth weight
Insights
This study followed 54 infants weighing 1,000 gm or less at birth. Key findings show reduced neurologic and intellectual deficits, with birth asphyxia as a significant risk factor.
Area of Science:
- Neonatalogy
- Pediatric Neurology
- Public Health
Background:
- Infants with birth weights of 1,000 grams or less face significant health risks.
- Previous outcomes for this high-risk group have shown considerable morbidity and mortality.
- Advances in neonatal care necessitate ongoing evaluation of long-term outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the neurologic and intellectual development of infants weighing 1,000 gm or less at birth.
- To identify perinatal factors associated with mortality and morbidity in this cohort.
- To evaluate the incidence of conditions like retrolental fibroplasia and sepsis.
Main Methods:
- A prospective study design involving 54 infants with birth weights ≤1,000 gm.
- Serial observations of survivors over 18 months to 3 years of age.
- Analysis of perinatal factors, including birth asphyxia and sepsis, and their correlation with outcomes.
Main Results:
- Of 26 survivors, 23 were followed; 17% had neurologic deficit and 13% had intellectual deficit (Developmental Quotient < 85).
- Birth asphyxia was significantly correlated with both neonatal mortality and subsequent morbidity.
- Sepsis contributed to mortality in 10 of 28 deaths, but was rare in survivors. Mild retrolental fibroplasia occurred in 26% of survivors.
Conclusions:
- The prognosis for infants weighing 1,000 gm or less has improved.
- Reducing perinatal asphyxia holds promise for further improvement in outcomes.
- Continued vigilance for conditions like sepsis and careful monitoring for developmental deficits remain crucial.
Abstract:
A prospective study of 54 infants with birth weights of 1,000 gm or less was conducted over a period of two years. Of the 26 infants who survived, 24 weighed between 750 and 1,000 gm; two infants died after discharge and one was lost to follow-up, leaving 23 in whom serial observations were made over 18 months to 3 years of age. The incidence of neurologic deficit in these infants was 17% and of intellectual deficit, 13%. Of the four who were abnormal neurologically, two had spastic quadriparesis, one static encephalopathy, and one hydrocephalus secondary to intraventricular hemorrhage. The three with intellectual deficit had a developmental quotient less than 85. Of the perinatal factors examined, only birth asphyxia correlated significantly with both neonatal mortality and subsequent morbidity. Six (26%) of the surviving infants had mild, nonblinding retrolental fibroplasia; only one of them had a significant refractive error that required corrective lenses for vision. Sepsis was a significant contributor to neonatal mortality in ten of 28 infants who died, but was detected in only one survivor. Although the prognosis for the infant weighing 1,000 gm or less at delivery has improved significantly, there is promise for still further improvement by reducing perinatal asphyxia.