Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The morbidity and mortality pattern in late preterm infants is higher than term infants (gestational age ≥ 37weeks). The main reason behind that is the relative physiologic and metabolic immaturity, though there is no significant difference in the weight or the size of the two groups. AIM: The present study was undertaken to study the incidence, early neonatal morbidity and mortality (within first 7 days of life) in late preterm infants (34 - 36 6/7 weeks). MATERIALS AND METHODS: It was a hospital based prospective study conducted from April 2012 to March 2013. The study was conducted in the Department of Paediatrics and Neonatology at G.B. Pant General Hospital and Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics L.D hospital and G.B. pant general hospital, (associated hospitals of Government Medical College, Srinagar). RESULTS: A total of 4100 neonates were included in the study. Incidence of late preterm neonates was 11.58 %. Three hundred sixty five (76.8%) of late preterm and 965 (28.3%) of term infants had at least one of the predefined neonatal conditions. Late preterm infants were at significantly higher risk for overall morbidity due to any cause (p<0.0001), respiratory morbidity (p<0.0001), mechanical ventilation (p=0.0002), jaundice (p<0.0001), hypoglycaemia (p<0.0001), and sepsis (p<0.0001) Perinatal asphyxia (p= 0.186). Early neonatal mortality in late preterm neonates was 2.5% or 25/1000 live births. CONCLUSION: Compared with term infants, late preterm infants are at high risk for overall morbidity, respiratory morbidity, and need of mechanical ventilation, jaundice, hypoglycaemia & sepsis. They also have a higher mortality as compared to term neonates.