Neonatal intensive care at borderline viability - Is it worth it?

Abstract

Very preterm infants at the borderline of viability, especially those 2499 g) controls (1991-1992 n=265, 1997 n=198). Survival, and neurosensory impairments, disabilities and utilities, and consumption of hospital resources to 2 years of age. Compared with 1991-1992, in 1997 more infants were offered intensive care and the survival rate was higher at each week of gestation, and overall (absolute increase in survival 16%; 95% confidence interval, 8%, 24%). The largest increases in the survival and quality-adjusted survival rates were in infants at 23 weeks (31% and 20%, respectively). The incremental resource costs of improving survival and quality-adjusted survival were similar in infants of..