Neurodevelopmental outcome of the premature infant.
Advances in antenatal medicine and neonatal intensive care have successfully resulted in improved survival rates of preterm infants. These improvements have been most dramatic in infants born extremely low birth weight (ELBW, <or=1000 g) and at the limits of viability (22 to 25 weeks). But improvements in survival have not been accompanied by proportional reductions in the incidence of disability in this population. Thus, survival is not an adequate measure of success in these infants who remain at high risk for neurodevelopmental and behavioral morbidities. There is now increasing evidence of sustained adverse outcomes into school age and adolescence, not only for ELBW infants but for infants born late preterm.
Stephens
Bonnie E
BE
Department of Pediatrics, Women and Infants Hospital, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02905, USA. bstephens@wihri.org
Vohr
Betty R
BR
D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000453:epidemiology; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000453:epidemiology; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000453:epidemiology; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000502:physiology; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology