Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2014;36(1):10-16
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032014000100004
To investigate the association of perinatal variables with the birth of very low birth weight (VLBW) preterm newborns.
It was a retrospective study of the medical records of infants born after spontaneous preterm labor with admission to a neonatal intensive care unit. Preterm infants were divided into two groups: very low birth weight (VLBW) group (weight <1,500 g) and low birth weight (LBW) group (weight ≥1,500 g and <2,500 g). Prenatal variables such as maternal complications during pregnancy and childbirth/postpartum, and fetal/neonatal complications were investigated. Statistical analysis was performed using the Fisher exact test or χ2 test, with calculation of relative risk (RR), and the Student t test for comparison of group means, with the level of significance set at p≤0.05.
Hemorrhagic comorbidities (p=0.006; RR=1.2) and hypertension (p=0.04; RR=1.5), surgical delivery (p=0.001; RR=0.5), gestational age <33 weeks (p< 0.001; RR=16.7) and Apgar score at 1st and 5th minute (p=0.006; RR=1.6; p=0.01; RR=1.9) were associated with the occurrence of VLBW. Infants with VLBW had a significant association with the occurrence of metabolic comorbidities (p=0.01; RR=1.8), neurological (p=0.01; RR=1.7) and infectious diseases (p=0.001; RR=1.9), hospitalization >4 weeks (p=0.02; RR=1.8) and early neonatal death (p=0.0001; RR=2.9).
Factors such as hypertension and bleeding comorbidities during delivery and management of gestational age of less than 33 weeks were associated with the birth of VLBW newborns. This group of infants also showed higher RR for the occurrence of early neonatal death.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2013;35(8):363-367
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032013000800005
PURPOSE: To evaluate the perinatal factors that influence the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in newborns infants (NBI) weighing less than 1,500 g. METHODS: A prospective study that analyzed all infants with birth weight (BW) less than 1,500 g born between January 2006 to December 2010 (n=183). They were divided into two groups, i.e. infants diagnosed with NEC (n=18) and infants without a diagnosis of NEC (n=165), which were compared in terms of perinatal factors that could influence the incidence of NEC. Mean data were compared by Student's t-test or nonparametric tests and percentages of categorical variables were compared by the χ² test. When the variables showed differences between groups, they were analyzed using logistic regression with the dependent variable as the presence of NEC. The statistical package used was SPSS 16.0 for Windows. RESULTS: The two groups were similar in terms of most of the clinical and demographic neonatal and maternal data, except for the presence of preeclampsia (PE), which was higher in patients whose children developed NEC (61.1 versus 35,6%). The presence of PE increased the chance of occurrence of NEC by 2.84 times (95%CI 1.0 - 7.7). CONCLUSION: The only factor that can interfere with the incidence of NEC in infants of very low birth weight was the presence of PE. Awareness of this fact can guide the perinatal team in providing more judicious care regarding the prevention of NEC in this specific population.