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. 1996 Mar;74(2):F110–F113. doi: 10.1136/fn.74.2.f110

Impact of extremely immature infants on neonatal services.

S Bohin 1, E S Draper 1, D J Field 1
PMCID: PMC2528542  PMID: 8777656

Abstract

The impact of very immature infants on neonatal services was examined within the United Kingdom. The Trent Health Region was used as a geographically defined population. Data were obtained on all infants weighing less than 1501 g at birth and all infants born before 32 weeks gestation between 1991-93. Information relating to length of stay, duration of ventilation, and survival was documented. Only one of 49 infants born before 24 weeks gestation survived. However, 75% of this group were ventilated. Most of the remaining infants died before 48 hours of age. A similar pattern was also seen in infants of 24 and 25 weeks gestation. Infants under 24 weeks gestation comprised 1.5% of all ventilated infants and consumed 2.14% of the total neonatal ventilator days for the region. It is concluded that the United Kingdom operates a conservative policy towards infants born before 24 weeks gestation and as a result resources expended on them are limited.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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