Neonatal morbidity in singleton late preterm infants compared with full-term infants

Ziel: To test the hypothesis that singleton late preterm infants (34 0/7 to 36 6/7 weeks of gestation) compared with full-term infants have a higher incidence of short-term morbidity and stay longer in hospital.

Methodik: In this retrospective, multi-centre study electronic data of children born at 5 hospitals in Switzerland were recorded. Short-term outcome of late preterm infants were compared with a control group of full-term infants (39 0/7 to 40 6/7 weeks of gestation). Multiple gestations, pregnancies complicated by fetal malformations, maternal consumption of illicit drugs as well as infants with incomplete documentation were excluded. The results were corrected for gender imbalance.

Ergebnis: Data from 530 late preterm and 1686 full-term infants were analyzed. Compared with full-term infants, late preterm infants had a much higher morbidity: respiratory distress (34.7% versus 4.6%, p < 0.001), need for oxygen administration (16.6% versus 2.3%, p < 0.001), hyperbilirubinaemia (47.7% versus 3.4%, p < 0.001), hypoglycaemia (14.3% versus 0.6%, p < 0.001), hypothermia (2.5% versus 0.6%, p < 0.001), duration of hospitalization (mean 9.9 days versus 5.2 days, p < 0.001). The risk to develop at least one complication was 7.6 times higher (95% CI 6.2–9.6) among late preterm infants (70.8%) than full-term infants (9.3%) and correlated negatively with gestational age.

Schlussfolgerung: Singleton late preterm infants (34 0/7 to 36 6/7 gestational weeks) show considerably higher rate of medical complications and prolonged hospital stay than matched full-term infants and therefore need much more medical and financial resources.

Literatur: Leone A. Ersfeld P. Neonatale Morbidität spät frühgeborener Kinder: Eine retrospektive Untersuchung im Kanton Zürich. Pädiatrie 2010; 3: 3-5

Late preterm - Morbidity - Near term - Outcome