Prematurity in Greenland. A study of infants with a birthweight below 2000 g

For all 67 babies born in Greenland between January 1, 1990 and December 31, 1992 with a birthweight < 2000 g, birth certificates and clinical data were reviewed. The frequency of a birthweight of < 2000 g was 1.8%, which corresponds with Danish data. Twenty-four (35%) died. Compared with Danish babies, the stratified odds ratio for death was 5.16. There was a marked geographic variation, with the highest mortality in the less affluent remote districts. Respiratory insufficiency was the dominant cause of death, with immaturity the only other important cause. Due to lack of equipment in the smaller district hospitals, half of the babies dying from respiratory insufficiency received no other treatment than oxygen in an incubator. It is recommended that all district health centres are equipped with facilities for nasal continuous airway pressure, that the use of antibiotics is encouraged and that the introduction of surfactant replacement therapy is considered.