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Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
19:15

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

Very low birth weight children at school age: comparison of neonatal management methods

E S Steiner, E M Sanders, E C Phillips

    British Medical Journal
    |November 8, 1980
    PubMed

    Insights

    Infants born with very low birth weight (501-1500g) who received only experienced nursing care showed comparable outcomes to those receiving intensive perinatal care. This suggests intensive medical intervention is not always necessary for optimal infant survival and development.

    Area of Science:

    • Neonatal Medicine
    • Pediatric Outcomes
    • Public Health

    Background:

    • Investigated the outcomes of 293 infants with very low birth weight (501-1500g) from a defined community.
    • Focused on a cohort where medical intervention in the newborn period was deliberately avoided.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To assess the school-age morbidity and survival rates of infants born with very low birth weight (VLBW).
    • To compare these outcomes with infants receiving intensive perinatal care during the same period (1963-1971).

    Main Methods:

    • Retrospective analysis of 293 VLBW infants.
    • Assessment of survival, major/minor handicaps, and normal development at school age.
    • Comparison with historical data from intensive care settings.

    Main Results:

    • Out of 236 live births, 49.6% died neonatally, 1.7% were untraced, 5.5% had major handicaps, 12.3% had minor handicaps, and 30.5% were normal.
    • Survival and handicap rates were comparable to infants who received intensive perinatal care.

    Conclusions:

    • Postnatal survival and potential of very low birth weight infants are not necessarily prejudiced by the absence of intensive medical intervention.
    • Experienced nursing care alone may be sufficient for achieving favorable outcomes in VLBW infants.

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