POSTNEONATAL MORTALITY IN A COHORT OF VERY-LOW-BIRTH-WEIGHT INFANTS

A cohort of very low birthweight (VLBW) infants (ie, < 1500 g) who were admitted to the newborn unit, Waikato Hospital between 1984 and 1988 were followed to the age of 12 months. Four hundred and twenty-five infants were admitted with 385 surviving the neonatal period. A further 29 infants died in the postneonatal period (68.2 per 1000 livebirths). Sixteen of the infants died during their initial hospitalisation - primarily from complications of prematurity, while the remaining 13 died following discharge from hospital (9 from sudden infant death syndrome). The postneonatal mortality rate was 3-5 fold greater than that described in similar studies, reflecting the generally increased rate in New Zealand and a lower neonatal mortality rate. The duration of mechanical ventilation was associated with an increased risk of postneonatal death, but no risk factors for posthospital discharge death could be identified.