THE OBSTETRICIAN AND THE EXTREMELY IMMATURE FETUS (24-26 WEEKS) - OUTCOME TO 5 YEARS OF AGE

The aims of this study were to determine the outcome to 5 years of age for fetuses 24-26 weeks of gestational age from the obstetric viewpoi nt, and to determine if their outcome has improved over time. Consecut ive fetuses with gestational ages from 24-26 weeks born at the Royal W omen's Hospital, Melbourne, during 2 separate eras, Era 1 (1977-1982; n = 198) and Era 2 (1985-1987; n = 128) were studied and their outcome to 5 years of age determined. Fetuses referred with lethal malformati ons or clearly dead before the onset of labour were excluded. The stil lbirth rates were similar in both eras (Era 1 23.7%, Era 2 21.9%), but the proportion of survivors to 5 years of age was much higher in Era 2 (Era 1 19.7%, Era 2 30.5%, X2 = 5.0, p<0.03; odds ratio 1.80; 95% co nfidence interval [CI] 1.07 to 3.04). Overall, both the proportion and the absolute number of severely disabled children fell over time; 4 c hildren survived with severe sensorineural disability in the 5 1/4 yea rs of Era 1, but only one child in the 3 years of Era 2. From the obst etric viewpoint, only 1.5% of total births survived with a severe sens orineural disability, no higher than the rate expected for children bo rn at term. Fetuses born at 24-26 weeks of gestational age need not co ntribute disproportionately to the number of severely disabled childre n in the community; furthermore, their outcome is improving over time. From the obstetrician's viewpoint, survival chances rather than senso rineural outcome should dominate decision-making at these extremely pr eterm gestations.