Changes in long-term prognosis with increasing postnatal survival and the occurrence of postnatal morbidities in extremely preterm infants offered intensive care: a prospective observational study

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Decisions regarding provision of intensive care and post-discharge follow-up for infants born extremely preterm (<28 weeks' gestation) are based on the risks of mortality and neurodevelopmental disability. We aimed to elucidate the changes in probability of three outcomes (death, survival with major disability, and survival without major disability) with postnatal age in extremely preterm infants offered intensive care, and the effect of postnatal events on the probability of survival without major disability. METHODS: In this prospective observational study, we used data from three geographical cohorts composed of all extremely preterm livebirths offered intensive care at birth ..