ETIOLOGY AND OUTCOME OF EXTREMELY LOW-BIRTH-WEIGHT INFANTS

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine whether the reason for deliver y of extremely low-birth-weight infants influenced the immediate neona tal outcome. STUDY DESIGN: At a regional perinatal center a retrospect ive analysis of 111 neonates with birth weights between 500 and 800 gm and their respective mothers was performed. The mother-infant pairs w ere grouped according to the reason for delivery. Group ? included tho se with idiopathic preterm labor. Group 2 included mothers with preter m premature rupture of membranes. Group 3 included those delivered for maternal or fetal indications. Group 4 included all multiple gestatio ns. Maternal, intrapartum, and neonatal outcome variables were then ev aluated for statistical significance by analysis of variance and X(2) methods and a p value of 0.05. RESULTS: The neonatal outcome variables (survival and incidence of major intraventricular hemorrhage, hyaline membrane disease, and fetal sepsis) were not found to be significantl y different among the four groups tested. CONCLUSION: The reason for t he delivery of extremely low-birth-weight infants does not have an imp act on the immediate neonatal outcome in these neonates.