COMPARISON OF SHORT TERM NEONATAL MORBIDITIES IN LATE PRETERM VS TERM INFANTS.

Objective: To compare frequency of short term (first 7 days of life) neonatal morbidities in late preterm vs term infants. Study Design: Prospective cohort study. Place and Duration of Study: Study was carried out over a period of six months from Jan 2016 to Jun 2016. Methodology: A total of 130 patients (65 in each group) were included in this study. All infants enrolled in study were followed till first 7 days of life for any morbidity by clinical evaluation. Infants who were discharged before 7 days were called for mandatory follow up evaluation in the outpatient clinic on 7th day of life. Results: Mean age of the babies was 3.28 ± 1.45 and 1.58 ± 0.65 in group-A and B, respectively. Mean gestational age in group-A was 35.18 ± 0.73 weeks and in group-B was 38.38 ± 11.07 weeks. Mean weight (kg) of neonates was 2.53 ± 0.33 in group-A and 3.24 ± 0.49 in group-B. Morbidities were found as follows: Probable sepsis was seen in 17 cases (26.2%) of group-A and 7 cases (10.8%) of group-B with p-value of 0.024. Respiratory morbidity observed in 15 cases (23%) of group-A and 3 cases (4.6%) of group-B with p-value of 0.002. Hyperbilirubinemia developed in 33 cases (50.8%) of group-A and in 15 cases of group-B with p-value of 0.001. Conclusion: The frequency of sepsis, respiratory morbidity and hyperbilirubinemia was more in late preterm as compared to term infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]