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BACKGROUND: Neonates bom before 34 weeks of gestation are at risk of numerous complications and their management is technologically demanding. Despite advancements in other areas of medicine, neonatal intensive care facilities are still at a primitive stage even in tertiary care hospitals in Sri y Lanka, OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical characteristics, problems and outcome of premature neonates born before 34 weeks of gestation. DESIGN, SETTING AND METHOD:A descriptive study was conducted in the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) of the North Colombo Teaching Hospital. All babies born before 34 weeks of gestation during me year 2006 were recruited, after obtaining maternal consent. Data was collected by interviewing mothers and using patient's records. RESULTS: Seventy neonates were recruited (male 57%). Of them 42 (60%) were delivered vaginally and 10 (14%) were born before 28 weeks of gestation. Mean birth weight was 1.44 (SD = 0.46) kg. All were admitted to the SCBU and were kept in incubators. The stay in SCBU ranged from 1 to 110 days (mean 15 days) and they were kept in incubators for an average of 5,8 days. Thirty seven (53%) had jaundice of whom 25 (36%) needed phototherapy but only one required exchange transfusion. Sepsis, surfactant deficient lung disease and apnoea were seen in 45.7%, 28.6% and 24.3% respectively. Four neonates each developed hypoglycaerma, anaemia and retinopathy of prematurity. Sixty seven (96%) neoaates needed oxygen, 13% were ventilated and 80% were given antibiotics. In 63% blood was taken for investigations more than 5 times. Twelve (17%) died while the rest (83%) were discharged. CONCLUSIONS: Jaundice, sepsis, surfactant deficient lung disease and apnoea were the commonest problems in babies born before 34 weeks of gestation. Nearly one fifth of them died during the neonatal period. |
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