Epidemiology of birth before 28 weeks of gestation

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Abstract
Information about the incidence of birth before 28 weeks of gestation is very scanty in the United Kingdom as gestational age is not recorded when live births are registered. Data from the Scottish Morbidity Records SMR2 system and the Scottish Stillbirth and Neonatal Mortality Survey show and apparent rise in incidence between the mid 1970's and mid 1980's. This probably reflects increased reporting. There is a raised incidence of births before 28 weeks of gestation among women under 20 and aged 40 and over, and there are marked social class differences. While mortality among very small babies has fallen dramatically over the past 20 years, it is difficult to assess trends and variations in morbidity among the surviving children. There have been few population based studies and those which have been done have not measured outcome in comparable ways. Suggestions are therefore made about the steps which need be taken to make better use of the data which are being collected through routine systems and special studies.

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