Prematurity and High-Risk Infants
Introduction[edit | edit source]
Advances in perinatal and neonatal care have led to improved survival in preterm infants [1,2,3]. The survival rate is approximately 50% in infants aged 24 weeks, but it is 80% to 90% in infants aged 28 weeks and 95% in those aged 32 weeks in the United States [4]. However, preterm birth also increases the risk of chronic diseases and developmental delays that may persist into adulthood and, consequently, require higher levels of health care [5]. Overall, encouraging the growth and development of surviving premature infants is crucial, along with efforts to increase survival rates.
Premature infants are a high-risk group for delayed growth and neurodevelopmental disorders, and some have neurological sequelae, such as delayed neurodevelopment, decreased intelligence, and cerebral palsy [6,7]. Factors affecting the growth and neurodevelopment of premature infants include birth weight, gestational age, Apgar score, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) at birth, breastfeeding, ventilation, or length of hospitalization, among others [[1]
