Etiology and outcome of extremely low-birth-weight infants

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine whether the reason for delivery of extremely low-birth-weight infants influenced the immediate neonatal outcome. STUDY DESIGN: At a regional perinatal center a retrospective analysis of 111 neonates with birth weights between 500 and 800 gm and their respective mothers was performed. The mother-infant pairs were grouped according to the reason for delivery. Group 1 included those with idiopathic preterm labor. Group 2 included mothers with preterm premature rupture of membranes. Group 3 included those delivered for maternal or fetal indications. Group 4 included all multiple gestations. Maternal, intrapartum, and neonatal outcome variables were then evaluated for statistical significance by analysis of variance and χ² methods and a p value of 0.05. RESULTS: The neonatal outcome variables (survival and incidence of major intraventricular hemorrhage, hyaline membrane disease, and fetal sepsis) were not found to be significantly different among the four groups tested. CONCLUSION: The reason for the delivery of extremely low-birth-weight infants does not have an impact on the immediate neonatal outcome in these neonates.