Survival Rate and Sequelae of Very Low Birth Weight Preterm Infants at Sunpasitthiprasong Hospital

Abstract

          Very low birth weight preterm infants are at high risk of morbidities and mortality; the survivors are still susceptible for medical and neurodevelopmental sequelae. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of very low birth weight preterm. This retrospective descriptive study was performed in the infants born at gestational age less than 34 weeks and birth weight below 1,500 grams admitted to Sunpasitthiprasong Hospital from January 2009 to December2010 . The outcomes were survival rate, medical sequelae and neurodevelopmental sequelae during first year of age. There were 177 infants and the survival rate was 44.06%. Incidence of retinopathy of prematurity was 45.76%, intraventricular hemorrhage 25% and bronchopulmonary dysplasia 21.73%. Long term neurodevelopmental sequelae were cerebral palsy (8.33%) and hydrocephalus (4.0%). At Sunpasitthiprasong Hospital, very low birth weight preterms survival rate was low during the study period and the most common medical sequela was retinopathy of prematurity. Continuous improvement of neonatal care should be considered for the better outcomes