DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2015.v03i06.008

Pages: 2190-2194

Late preterms are babies born between 34 to < 37 weeks of gestation and are associated with adverse short term and long term outcomes and an increased burden on health care. To evaluate the short term outcome of late preterm babies in comparison with term babies and to study the maternal risk factors involved in late preterm. Prospective study was conducted over a period of 3 years from Jan 2012 to Dec 2014.Cases included was late preterm babies and control was term babies. The Results are in this study shows, term was 91.5%(1869),preterm was 6.8%(140),post term was 1.6%(33) and late preterm was 3.9%(80).Among late preterm babies,the common maternal risk factors were PIH in 29.3%(17/80),PPROM in 17.2%(10/80) and antepartum hemorrhage in 13.7%(8/80) of the cases. Based on gestational age, majority of them were between 35-<36 weeks in 38.7 %( 31/80). Based on birth weight, most of them were between 1.5-2.5 kg in 63.7 % (42/80). Among gender majority of them were males in 57.5 %( 46/80) of the cases. Late preterm babies had more morbidities and mortality compared to term babies. The common morbidities observed were jaundice in 67.5 %( 54/80), hypoglycemia in 27.5 %( 22/80) and sepsis in 23.7 %( 19/80).Overall late preterm mortality rate was 0.9% compared to term which was 0.48%. In Conclusion of this study shows both morbidities and mortality rate was high in late preterm babies compared to term babies with significant maternal risk factors. Adequate antenatal care and postnatal care to the high risk mothers and babies will improve the late preterm outcome.