OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to analyze the language characteristics of a group of extremely low birth weight (ELBW) children at 3 years of age and to compare these language results with a sample of full-term children with normal birth weight (FBW). METHODS All children were judged to be free of any major physical, sensorial and neurological impairments and had a mental development...

Low birth weight and prematurity are risk factors for hypertension in adulthood. Few studies in preterm or full-term born children reported on plasma renin activity (PRA). We tested the hypothesis that renin might modulate the incidence of hypertension associated with prematurity. We enrolled 93 prematurely born children with birth weight <1000 g and 87 healthy controls born at term, who were a...

There has been a dramatic rise in preterm births in developed countries owing to changes in clinical practices and greater use of assisted reproductive techniques. However, few studies have examined the growth and outcomes of preterm infants according to the type of feeding (with fortified breast milk or formula). The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of breast milk feedings and f...

The threatened birth of an extremely-low-birth-weight (ELBW) and gestational age infant presents complex medical, social and ethical issues for the family and the health professionals. Improved survival may be accompanied by increased risks of chronic medical problems and neurodevelopmental disabilities. It is difficult to define "how small is too small" and to decide "how much is too much" in ...

PURPOSE To study the association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and low birth weight (LBW), small-for-gestational-age birth weight (SGA) and preterm birth, and to quantify the population-attributable fractions for these outcomes in Switzerland. METHODS Data were gathered for all births in the Canton of Vaud (Switzerland) over a twelvemonth period in 1993-1994. LBW was defined as bi...

OBJECTIVE Exposure to pollutants during pregnancy has been related to adverse birth outcomes. LBW can give rise to lifelong impairments. Prematurity is the leading cause of LBW, yet few studies have attempted to analyse how environmental factors can influence LBW in infants who are not premature. This study therefore sought to analyse the influence of air pollution, noise levels and temperature...

OBJECTIVE Research is required to monitor changes in the nature of neurobehavioral deficits in extremely preterm (EP) or extremely low birth weight (ELBW) survivors. This study examines cognitive, academic, and behavioral outcomes at age 8 years for a regional cohort of EP/ELBW children born in 1997. METHODS The EP/ELBW cohort comprised all live births with a gestational age <28 weeks (EP) or...

conclusions: the increased survival of preterm infants was not associated with lower complications. there is now increasing evidence of sustained adverse outcomes into school age and adolescence, for preterm infants. results: cerebral palsy especially spastic diplegia, intellectual disability, visual (retinopathy of prematurity) and hearing impairments are the main neurodevelopmental disorders ...

A proactive policy of resuscitation at birth and prompt initiation of intensive care have been shown to be associated with an improvement in the survival of very preterm infants in both institution-based and population-based studies. As a greater percentage of live births were offered intensive care, the survival rate rose progressively in all birth weight and gestation subgroups among extremel...