title: Short-term neonatal outcome in late preterm vs. term infants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the short-term neonatal outcomes in late preterm infants (LPI's) as compared to term infants and their association with maternal risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case control, descriptive study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan, from January to December 2009.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 326 late preterm babies (defined as those born between 340⁄7 to 376⁄7 weeks of gestation) and equal number of term control babies at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. Data, including obstetric history, maternal complications, neonatal morbidities, etc., was retrieved from patients' medical records. The data was compared with the control group for complications, fetal morbidity and maternal morbidity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Late preterm infants constituted 10.6% of all deliveries and 77% of all live preterm births during the study period. Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) (16.5% vs. 0.3%, p < 0.001), growth retardation (24.8% vs. 4%, p < 0.001), hyperbilirubinemia requiring phototherapy (37.9% vs. 11%, p < 0.001), and sepsis (4.9% vs. 0.3%, p < 0.001) were found to be the major morbidities in the study group. The need for resuscitation was 12.7 times higher in the study group as compared to the term babies (21.4% vs. 1.2%, p < 0.001). NICU admissions in the study group were also higher (18.8% vs. 2.4%, p < 0.001). Hypertension (12.5% vs. 1.5%, p < 0.001), diabetes (12.5% vs. 9.2%, p < 0.001), antenatal history of UTI (1.5% vs. 0.3%, p < 0.001), and prolong rupture of membrane (8.9% vs. 4%, p < 0.001) were significant maternal morbidities in the late preterm group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The late preterm group had greater morbidity, compared to term neonates. Prior awareness of the morbidities associated with late preterm babies is helpful for the health care providers to anticipate and manage potential complications in late preterm infants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi.
authors.forename: Anila
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haroon
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi.
authors.forename: Syed Rehan
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi.
authors.forename: Shakeel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Department of Feto-maternal Medicine, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi.
authors.forename: Humaira
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Maheen
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007567:Jaundice, Neonatal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D009017:Morbidity; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D047929:Term Birth