[Survival and morbidity among children with low birth weight]

Stillbirth and the mortality rate in low birthweight infants (less than 2,500 g) have been greatly reduced since 1967. 95% of all infants born in 1991-93 whose birthweight was between 500 and 999 g, and who survived to one year of age, would have died under the same circumstances in 1967-69. This improved survival is not, to any appreciable extent, related to an increase in demand at seven years of age for a basic grant or attendance benefit because of cerebral palsy or mental retardation. The number of basic grant and attendance benefits because of eye diseases has been reduced by about half for 7-year olds whose birthweight was low. On the whole, however, the number of basic grant and attendance benefits increased from about 1% in 1974-85 to 2.2% in 1986-94. This increase can be particularly attributed to skin and lung diseases. These results have been obtained by coordinating the record of the Medical Birth Registry of Norway and the records of the Social Security offices for all births (1,566,763) registered during the years 1967-93.