Late preterm: obstetric management.
Late preterm is the recommended definition for infants born at 34 0/7 to 36 6/7 weeks' gestation after the onset of the mother's last menstrual period. Late-preterm infants are known to have greater mortality and morbidity when compared with term infants during the neonatal period. Obstetric management plays a substantial role in influencing neonatal outcomes. We conducted a retrospective study on late-preterm births based on data collected by regional certificates of birth attendance, comparing overall data with those relative to our Department, the aim of our study was to evaluate if obstetric management, related to different delivery settings, could influence the prevalence and the method of delivery in late preterm gestational age. Preterm births represent about 10% of 25,011 births in Sardinia, and 72.6% of them are late preterm. Elective cesarean section results significantly higher in late preterm than in term deliveries. In our Department, both late-preterm delivery rate and elective cesarean sections rate were lower if compared with country region data. Obstetric management strategies play an important role in delaying deliveries and reducing late-preterm birth rates.
Meloni
Alessandra
A
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria, Cagliari.
Antonelli
Antonello
A
Deiana
Sara
S
Rocca
Alessio
A
Atzei
Alessandra
A
Paoletti
Anna Maria
AM
Melis
Gian Benedetto
GB
D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies