AbstractBackground: There has been a lot of interest in the late preterm infants in the recent years. Due to the built in assumption of the late preterm infants as the term infants, these babies are roomed in with the mother immediately after delivery and are being discharged as the full term infants. Studies revealed that late preterm infants are at risk of morbidity. The most common morbidities observed in the late preterm infants were respiratory distress, hypoglycaemia, sepsis and hyperbilirubinemia.
Objectives: This study is being done to assess variables such as respiratory distress, hypoglycaemia, probable and proven sepsis and hyperbilirubinemia, in the first week of life, and the risk of these morbidities as the gestational age regresses compared to the full term newborns. It also focuses on the associated maternal complications.
Methods: All term and late preterm born in Bhaskar General Hospital and Bhaskar medical college, satisfying the inclusion criteria were included in the study. All these infants were observed for the morbidities explained above during the hospital stay.
Results: Probable sepsis was found in 14.7% of late preterm compared to the 1.7% of term infants. On seeing the odds of probable sepsis for individual gestational age the risk was 19, 13.7, 5.98 times in late preterm infants at 34 0/7-34 6/7, 35 0/7-35 6/7, 36 0/7- 36 6/7 weeks compared to the term infants respectively. Proven sepsis was seen in 5.42% of late preterm infants when compared to 0.82% of term newborns in our population. On seeing the odds of proven sepsis for individual gestational age the risk was 10.9, 8.3, 5.1 times in late preterm infants at 34 0/7-34 6/7, 35 0/7-35 6/7, 36 0/7- 36 6/7 weeks compared to the term infants respectively.
Conclusion: Considering significant morbidity like respiratory distress, hypoglycaemia, sepsis and hyperbilirubinemia in late preterm compared to the term infants they must be considered as a special entity of preterm infants and need to be monitored carefully.