Congenital Defects associated with Prematurity

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Abstract
In a series of 3179 infants studied from the 1st antenatal attendance of their mothers, 204 (6.4%) weighed not more than 5 1/2 lb. (2.5 kg.) at birth. Of these, 149 survived the 1st 4 weeks of life; 1 child died at the age of 1 year, and 142 (96%) were traced when they were between 3 and 6 years old. Of the 142 surviving children, 13 (9%) were found to have defects of a serious nature, compared with 2% in full-term children. The prevalence of cerebral palsy, deafness, serious eye defects and umbilical hernia was significantly raised among the premature children. There were children with serious defects among both multiple and single births following spontaneous labour, but none in a small group of births following surgically induced labor. The severe defects of sight and hearing were in children with a gestation period of less than 36 weeks.