1299 Are we Undertreating Hyperbilirubinemia in Preterm Infants?

Abstract

Introduction and Background Late preterm infants (LPI) are born at a gestational age between 34 weeks and 36 weeks and 6 days. They have higher morbidity and mortality than term infants due to their relative physiologic and metabolic immaturity. Method Infants born between July 2008 and July 2010 are identified using NICU and Labor and delivery registry of King Faisal Specialist Hospital-Jeddah. The deliveries are around 1100 births per year. The pertinent data of all mothers and neonates delivered at KFSH&RC-J abstracted from medical records. Singleton vs. twin or triplet 59.7% vs. 28.7% or 11.6%; the gravida the maternal age and gravida showed no difference; morbidity in LPI, respiratory distress syndrome 92/230 (40%) hyperbilirubineamia required treatment 13/230 (5.7%), apnea 11/230 (4.8%), sepsis 21/230(9.5%), feeding problems 23/230 (10%), hospital readmission 8/230 (3.5%). Admission to NICU was 116/229 (50%). Conclusion Our result is very comparable with previous other studies, however the mortality rate in our series is negligible, perhaps related to our aggressive management and early admission to NICU for 48 hours observation.