Table 1.

Characteristics of live births and survivors to discharge from the neonatal unit

Characteristics	Live births (n = 7438)	Survivors to discharge (n = 6422)
Infant characteristics	Mean (SD)	Mean (SD)
Gestational age	28.4 (2.4)	28.9 (2.0)
Birth weight, mean	1194 (402)	1255 (370)
Gestational age	%	%
<25 weeks	9.2	3.7
25–27 weeks	23.0	21.1
28–29 weeks	24.9	26.9
30–31 weeks	42.9	48.3
Male	54.3	53.9
Multiple pregnancy	31.2	31.7
SGA*
<3rd percentile	20.2	20.2
3–<10th percentile	11.4	11.7
≥10th percentile	68.4	68.1
Apgar score at 5 min
<4	6.6	2.5
4–6	13.6	12.4
≥7	79.9	85.1
Congenital anomaly†	7.1	7.3
Maternal and pregnancy characteristics
Maternal age
<35 years	73.9	73.6
35 years	26.1	26.4
Parity
Nulliparous	56.2	56.8
Multiparous	43.8	43.2
PPROM	25.1	25.0
Pre-eclampsia/eclampsia/HELLP	14.9	15.7
Healthcare and management
Any antenatal steroids	86.3	89.2
Delivery in level III unit	77.9	78.0
Neonatal transport	11.3	11.0
Type of delivery
Prelabour caesarean	39.9	41.8
Intrapartum caesarean	24.9	25.9
Vaginal delivery	35.2	32.4
Initial respiratory management
None	15.4	12.4
nCPAP	41.4	46.3
Mechanical ventilation	43.2	41.2

*Small for gestational age using intrauterine references.

†Congenital anomalies reportable to Eurocat, but not severe. Cases with severe anomalies were excluded.

HELLP, hemolysis elevated liver enzymes low platelet count; PPROM, preterm premature rupture of membrane.