Outcomes of very low birth weight infants in Songklanagarind Hospital.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the mortality and morbidity rates of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants in Songklanagarind Hospital.

MATERIAL AND METHOD: A retrospective study of all infants with birth weight < 1,500 g admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit between January 2003 and December 2006.

RESULTS

A total of 178 VLBW infants, met the enrollment criteria, with mean (+/- standard deviation-SD) birth weight and gestational age of 1,123 +/- 273 g and 29 +/- 3 weeks, respectively. Forty-two (23.6%) were referred from other hospitals. The overall mortality rate was 27.0%. Perinatal risk factors of mortality were birth weight < 1,000 g (p < 0.01), congenital anomalies (p < 0.01), and Apgar score at 1 minute < or = 5 (p < 0.01). Among the 130 (73.0%) survivors to discharge, 92 (70.8%) survived without major morbidity. The major morbidities were moderate/severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia, retinopathy of prematurity stage 3, necrotizing enterocolitis stage > or = 2 and intraventricular hemorrhage grade > or = III in 31 (23.8%), 12 (9.2%), 4 (3.1%) and 2 (1.5%) infants, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The mortality rate of VLBW infants in Songklanagarind Hospital was similar to other developing countries, although greater than in developed countries. Among survivors, the major morbidity rates were acceptable.