Brain injury in the premature infant--current concepts

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Updated: Aug 17, 2026

Preterm EEG: A Multimodal Neurophysiological Protocol
19:32

Preterm EEG: A Multimodal Neurophysiological Protocol

Published on: February 18, 2012

J J Volpe1

  • 1Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02138.

Preventive Medicine
|September 1, 1994
PubMed

Insights

Preventing brain injury in premature infants is critical. Despite increased survival rates for low birth weight infants, rates of cerebral palsy and developmental disabilities remain high, highlighting the need for effective interventions.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal neurology
  • Perinatal medicine
  • Developmental pediatrics

Background:

  • Brain injury is a significant concern for premature infants.
  • Approximately 50,000 low birth weight infants (<= 1,500 g) are born annually in the US.
  • Increased survival rates for these infants have led to a rise in cerebral palsy and developmental disabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the magnitude of brain injury in premature infants.
  • To emphasize the importance of injury prevention strategies.
  • To address the increasing prevalence of cerebral palsy in low birth weight survivors.

Main Methods:

  • Epidemiological studies were reviewed.
  • Data on birth weight, survival rates, and neurological outcomes were analyzed.
  • Trends in cerebral palsy prevalence were examined.

Main Results:

  • 5-15% of surviving low birth weight infants have major spastic motor deficits (cerebral palsy).
  • 25-50% of survivors experience less prominent developmental disabilities, including school failure.
  • The prevalence of cerebral palsy in low birth weight infants has increased in recent years.

Conclusions:

  • Preventing brain injury in premature infants is a major challenge.
  • The increasing survival of fragile infants contributes to higher rates of neurological deficits.
  • Further research and interventions are needed to mitigate these outcomes.

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