About Careers MedBlog Contact us
Medindia LOGIN REGISTER
Advertisement

Late Preterm Birth Puts Infants At Higher Risk of Respiratory Illness

by Tanya Thomas on July 29, 2010 at 10:19 AM
Font : A-A+

 Late Preterm Birth Puts Infants At Higher Risk of Respiratory Illness

When compared to full-term infants, a new research places higher risk of respiratory illnesses on babies born between 34 weeks and 37 weeks gestation.

The research was conducted by University of Illinois at Chicago and by researcher Dr. Judith Hibbard and colleagues from the Consortium on Safe Labor.

Advertisement

"Even at 37 weeks, babies were three times more likely to have respiratory distress syndrome compared to babies born at 39- or 40 weeks," said Hibbard, UIC professor of obstetrics and gynecology and lead author of the study.

Data were collected from electronic medical records on 233,844 deliveries at 19 hospitals across the U.S. between 2002 and 2008.

Hibbard said respiratory illnesses such as RDS, transient tachypnea, pneumonia and respiratory failure can lead to other problems such as longer hospitalization, the need for a ventilator or antibiotics, and issues with feeding and failure to gain weight.
Advertisement

Using a statistical model, the researchers examined infant respiratory illnesses at each gestational week, controlling for factors that influence respiratory outcomes including maternal medical conditions, length of labor and mode of delivery, and birth weight.

The study found that late preterm births accounted for 9 percent of all deliveries. Thirty-seven percent of late preterm infants were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit, compared with 7 percent of term infants.

RDS was the most common respiratory illness, occurring in 11 percent of 34-week deliveries. Only 0.3 percent of 40-week deliveries had RDS.

Transient tachypnea, also called "wet lungs," was the second most common respiratory illness, occurring in 6.4 percent of 34-week deliveries, and decreasing to 0.3 percent at 39 weeks.

"The OB community needs to assess indications for induction of labor," said Hibbard, who hopes that this study will help clinicians to counsel their patients about the importance of not requesting medically unnecessary inductions.

The study is published in the July 28 issue of JAMA.

Source: ANI
Advertisement

Advertisement
Advertisement

Recommended Reading

Latest Child Health News

Practical Tips for Defending Against the H3N2 Virus!
Doctors have reported that children have been hit hard by the recent increase in flu cases, with the H3N2 virus being a significant contributing factor.
Breaking the Cycle: Impact of Childhood Trauma on Mental Health
Men and women are impacted uniquely by childhood trauma: emotional trauma and sexual abuse impact women, while emotional and physical neglect impact men.
How Can Parents Manage Night-Time Breastfeeding in Young Infants?
Bedsharing with infants is linked to increased duration of breastfeeding, according to the night-time feeding guidelines.
Why Are Autism Rates Increasing in the U.S?
To tackle the rising cases of autism among kids, steady screening programs may make a difference in autism diagnosis and treatment.
Autistic Kids Often Miss Out on Vision Screening: Here's Why
Children with autism tend to receive vision screening less often, despite having a high risk for eye problems.
View All
This site uses cookies to deliver our services.By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Cookie Policy, Privacy Policy, and our Terms of Use  Ok, Got it. Close
×

Late Preterm Birth Puts Infants At Higher Risk of Respiratory Illness Personalised Printable Document (PDF)

Please complete this form and we'll send you a personalised information that is requested

You may use this for your own reference or forward it to your friends.

Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice.

Name *

Email Address *

Country *

Areas of Interests