Assessment of Initial Morbidity Patterns in Late Preterm Infants Relative to Those at Term

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to assess the patterns of morbidity and mortality in late preterm neonates—that is, neonates born before 37 weeks of gestation. Preterm births are a major contributing factor to many deaths in children under five, with a larger percentage of deaths occurring during the neonatal era. The study was a prospective observational cohort study carried out at DDU Hospital in New Delhi in the neonatal intensive care unit of the pediatrics department. While term neonates had a mean gestation distribution of 38.64 weeks, late preterm newborns had a mean distribution of 35.39 weeks. The distribution of mean birth weight was 2.35 (±0.48) and 3.04 (±0.43) kg. Males were seen often in both research groups. The distribution of hypoglycemia among the study groups showed a significant difference, with late preterm infants having a higher incidence of the condition. The rate of post-resuscitation care varied significantly as well, with late preterm infants needing greater attention. A statistically significant increase was observed in the incidence of respiratory distress in late preterm newborns. Compared to the other group, late preterm infants had a higher prevalence of jaundice and sepsis. The study finds that compared to term newborns, late preterm infants had a higher risk of morbidity. To have a better understanding of these children's neonatal outcomes, more research is required.