Neurosensory Disabilities at School Age in Geographic Cohorts of Extremely Low Birth Weight Children Born Between the 1970s and the 1990s

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To contrast the rates of neurosensory disabilities at age 8 years in extremely low birth weight (ELBW; birth weight 500 to 999 g) children born in the state of Victoria, Australia in 4 four distinct eras from the late 1970s to the late 1990s. STUDY DESIGN: Study subjects were assessed at age 8 years. Results were compared among 4 ELBW cohorts (87 of 89 children born in 1979-1980, 206 of 212 born in 1985-1987, 224 of 241 born in 1991-1992, and 160 of 170 born in 1997), and between each of these ELBW cohorts and normal birth weight (NBW; birth weight > 2499 g) controls. RESULTS: The survival rate for ELBW children rose from 25% for the 1979-1980 cohort to 73% for the 1997 cohort. No..