Prenatal risk factors for cot death in very preterm and small for gestational age infants.
In a nationwide prospective survey on very preterm and very-low-birthweight infants in The Netherlands, the incidence of cot death in infants discharged alive was 15%. The postnatal age at death in these infants did not differ significantly from age at death in other cot death infants. Using a case-control design, possible risk factors associated with cot death were identified: lower maternal age at first pregnancy; maternal smoking during pregnancy; hypothermia of the infant immediately after birth; decreased number of white blood cells and thrombocytes in the infant on the first day of life. Intrauterine hypoxia is hypothesized as the entity common to these factors.
Wierenga
H
H
Department of Pediatrics, Wilhelmina Hospital, Assen, The Netherlands.
Brand
R
R
Geudeke
T
T
van Geijn
H P
HP
van der Harten
H
H
Verloove-Vanhorick
S P
SP
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007035:Hypothermia; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D007902:Length of Stay; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D010976:Platelet Count; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015430:Weight Gain