Respiratory morbidities in late preterm and term infants with myelomeningocele

Objective To describe the incidence of respiratory morbidities in late preterm and term newborns with myelomeningocele (MMC) born by c-section. Study Design Single center retrospective cohort study of infants born between 34 0/7 and 40 6/7 weeks gestation with the diagnosis of MMC. The primary outcome was the incidence of respiratory morbidities and the secondary outcome was caffeine treatment for apnea at discharge. Results A total of 293 infants with MMC born by cesarean section were included in this cohort: 106 born late preterm, 120 early term, and 67 at term. Respiratory morbidity was present in 50.5% within the first 24 h after birth. Treatment with caffeine for persistent apnea or periodic breathing at discharge was present in 17.8% with an overall incidence of apnea throughout the hospital admission of 20.5%. Conclusion There is a markedly increased risk of respiratory distress in late preterm and term infants with myelomeningocele at all gestational ages.