title: Impact of extremely immature infants on neonatal services.
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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Leicester.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bohin
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Draper
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Field
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007902:Length of Stay; D011379:Prognosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D006113:United Kingdom