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.