Optimizing care and outcome for late-preterm (near-term) infants: A summary of the workshop sponsored by the national institute of child health and human development

Tonse N K Raju, Rosemary D. Higgins, Ann R. Stark, Kenneth J. Leveno

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

560 Scopus citations

Abstract

In 2003, 12.3% of births in the United States were preterm (<37 completed weeks of gestation). This represents a 31% increase in the preterm birth rate since 1981. The largest contribution to this increase was from births between 34 and 36 completed weeks of gestation (often called the "near term" but referred to as "late preterm" in this article). Compared with term infants, late-preterm infants have higher frequencies of respiratory distress, temperature instability, hypoglycemia, kernicterus, apnea, seizures, and feeding problems, as well as higher rates of rehospitalization. However, the magnitude of these morbidities at the national level and their public health impact have not been well studied. To address these issues, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health invited a multidisciplinary team of experts to a workshop in July 2005 entitled "Optimizing Care and Outcome of the Near-Term Pregnancy and the Near-Term Newborn Infant." The participants discussed the definition and terminology, epidemiology, etiology, biology of maturation, clinical care, surveillance, and public health aspects of late-preterm infants. Knowledge gaps were identified, and research priorities were listed. This article provides a summary of the meeting.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1207-1214
Number of pages8
JournalPediatrics
Volume118
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2006

Keywords

  • Apnea
  • Kernicterus
  • Late-preterm infant
  • Low birth weight
  • Near-term infant
  • Prematurity
  • Preterm birth
  • Respiratory distress syndrome
  • Seizures
  • Sudden infant death

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Optimizing care and outcome for late-preterm (near-term) infants: A summary of the workshop sponsored by the national institute of child health and human development'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this