Short-term neonatal outcome in singleton, late preterm deliveries: a three-year experience at a single Lebanese center.

BACKGROUND: There has been a decrease in the mean gestational age at delivery worldwide mostly due to an increase in deliveries occurring at late preterm period (LPP) with a concomitant rise in the rate of morbidities among newborns delivered at this period.

OBJECTIVES: To report the frequency of common short-term neonatal morbidities in infants born at LPP (between 34(0/7) and 36(6/7) weeks' gestation) and to compare these frequencies with those of full-term infants born at our institution.

MATERIALS & METHODS: A descriptive cohort study (2008-2010) at Makassed General Hospital. All deliveries occurring at LPP constituted the study group (n = 361), while births at or beyond 37 weeks' gestation were considered as controls (n = 2814).

RESULTS: The average rate of deliveries in LPP was 11.4% for the entire study period. The rate of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit admissions, respiratory morbidities, sepsis, jaundice, hypothermia, hypoglycemia and overall neonatal morbidity were all significantly higher in LPP infants when compared to those at term (p-value < 0.013).

CONCLUSION: In our cohort of Lebanese newborns delivered at LPP, significantly higher morbidities were encountered when compared to full-term newborns. Every possible effort should be exerted to avoid elective deliveries during LPP in order to curb the incidence of neonatal morbidities.