Neonatal care of very low birth weight pre-term infants in the 1990's in Sweden.

Refinement of optimal neonatal intensive care for the very pre-term infants with risk of developing neonatal complications including retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) has been under development since the late 1980's. During the last decade better methods for supporting the respiration including surfactant treatment has contributed to the increased survival rate which today is more than 50% for infants born between 24 and 28 completed weeks of gestation. Improvement in the 'environmental engineering' in the neonatal intensive care unit is necessary to improve the longterm outcome regarding disabilities and handicaps including ROP. Clinical research in neonatology clearly shows that a high quality medical and nursing care is required for these infants.