Retrospective Analysis of Diseases in a Cohort of Late Preterm Infants

Abstract

Rationale. In the conditions of perinatal centers, the routing of pregnant women with obstetric and somatic pathologies leads to the birth of a significant number of late premature newborns, which make a high contribution to the incidence of respiratory and cerebral pathologies.Purpose of the study — to analyze respiratory and cerebral morbidity and therapy in late preterm infants.Materials and methods. А retrospective analysis of a cohort of late preterm infants (GA 340–366 weeks) born within 12 months of 2020. The study involved 508 newborns. Retrospective analysis of the incidence of a cohort of late preterm infants (GA 340–366 weeks) born during the 12 months of 2020. The study involved 508 newborns.Results. The study showed that late premature infants account for more than 10 % of all newborns and 66 % of the number of premature infants born in the perinatal center and are characterized by high morbidity. The main nosologies were identified: hyperbilirubinemia — up to 67 %; cerebral ischemia — up to 55 %; intraventricular hemorrhage — up to 18 % respiratory distress syndrome and transient tachypnea of newborns — about 46 %; congenital infection — 12 %; congenital heart defects — about 10 %. More than half of the children received of respiratory therapy and a quarter of newborns received antibacterial therapy. About 40 % of patients were hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit, and about 80 % in the neonatal pathology unit. The median total duration of hospitalization in the perinatal center was 13 [9.7; 19.0] days.Conclusion. The study revealed data on the high frequency of respiratory pathology (up to half of the cases) and cerebral pathology (more than 50 %), congenital infection (up to 12 %), the need for respiratory therapy (in more than half of the children) and prolonged hospitalization with a median of 13 days in late premature infants.