Clinical Guidelines for Management of Infants Born before 25 Weeks of Gestation: How Representative Is the Current Evidence?

Abstract

Objective: To determine whether management guidelines for infants born extremely preterm are representative for those infants <25 weeks of gestation. Study design: Three guidelines were reviewed: the 2022 European Consensus Guidelines on the Management of Respiratory Distress Syndrome, the 2017 American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines for Perinatal Care, and the 2020/2021 International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation guidelines. All referenced studies for overlapping recommendations were reviewed. Data extracted included the total number and proportion of infants <25 weeks of gestation in the original articles referred in the guidelines. Where the exact number of infants <25 weeks of ges..