https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140-6736(07)61692-4.pdf

Maternal and child undernutrition: consequences for adult health and human capital.

Objectives. To determine the mortality and morbidity for infants weighing 401 to 1500 g (very low birth weight [VLBW]) at birth by gestational age, birth weight, and gender. Study Design. Perinatal data were collected prospectively on an inborn cohort from January 1995 through December 1996 by 14 participating centers of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network and were compared with the corresponding data from previous reports. Sociodemographic factors, perinatal events, and the neonatal course to 120 days of life, discharge, or death were evaluated. Results. Eighty four percent of 4438 infants weighing 501 to 1500 g at birth survived until discharge to home or to a long-term care facility (compared with 80% in 1991 and 74% in 1988). Survival to discharge was 54% for infants 501 to 750 g at birth, 86% for those 751 to 1000 g, 94% for those 1001 to 1250 g, and 97% for those 1251 to 1500g. The incidence of chronic lung disease (CLD; defined as receiving supplemental oxygen at 36 weeks9 postmenstrual age; 23%), proven necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC; 7%), and severe intracranial hemorrhage (ICH; grade III or IV; 11%) remained unchanged between 1991 and 1996. Furthermore, 97% of all VLBW infants and 99% of infants weighing Mortality for 195 infants weighing 401 to 500 g was 89%, with nearly all survivors developing CLD. Mortality in infants weighing 501 to 600 g was 71%; among survivors, 62% had CLD, 35% had severe ICH, and 15% had proven NEC. Conclusions. Survival for infants between 501 and 1500 g at birth continued to improve, particularly for infants weighing

https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/pediatrics/107/1/e1.full.pdf

Very low birth weight outcomes of the National Institute of Child health and human development neonatal research network, January 1995 through December 1996. NICHD Neonatal Research Network.

Trends in neonatal morbidity and mortality for very low birthweight infants

Outcomes of children of extremely low birthweight and gestational age in the 1990's.

Repeated antenatal corticosteroids: size at birth and subsequent development.

New Ballard Score, expanded to include extremely premature infants.

The Ballard Maturational Score was refined and expanded to achieve greater accuracy and to include extremely premature neonates. To test validity, accuracy, interrater reliability, and optimal postnatal age at examination, the resulting New Ballard Score (NBS) was assessed for 578 newly born infants and the results were a~alyzed. Gestational ages ranged from 20 to 44 weeks and postnatal ages at e~xamination ranged from birth to 96 hours. In 530 infants, gestational age by last menstrual period was confirmed by agreement within 2 weeks with gestational age by prenatal ultrasonography (C-GLMP). For these infants, correlation between gestational age by NBS and C-GLMP was 0.97. Mean differences between gestational age by NB5 and C-GLMP were 0.32  1,58 weeks and 0.45  1.46 weeks among the extremely premature infants (<26 weeks) and among the total population, respectively. Correlations between the individual criteria and C-GLMP ranged from 0.72 to 0.82. Interrater reliability of NBS, as determined by correlation between raters who rated the same subgroup of infants, was 0.95. For infants less than 26 weeks of gestational age, the greatest validity (97% within 2 weeks of C-GLMP) was seen when the examination was performed before 42 hours of postnatal age. For infants at least 26 weeks of gestational age, percentages of agreement with C-GLMP remained constant, averaging 92% for all postnatal age categories up to 96 hours. The NBS is a valid and accurate gestational assessment tool for extremely premature infants and remains valid for the entire newborn infant population. (J PEDIATR 4991;119:417-23)

B. L. Eilers-Walsman

Papers

New Ballard Score, expanded to include extremely premature infants.

New Ballard Score, expanded extremely premature infants to include