Perinatal factors associated with the neurologic impairment of children born preterm

• Published in: International journal of gynecology and obstetrics Vol. 102; no. 1; pp. 12 - 18
• Main Authors: Škrablin, Snježana, Maurac, Ivana, Banović, Vladimir, Bošnjak-Nadj, Katarina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.07.2008; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Asphyxia Neonatorum - epidemiology; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - epidemiology; Biological and medical sciences; Brain Damage, Chronic - epidemiology; Case-Control Studies; Cerebral Palsy - epidemiology; Child; Child, Preschool; Croatia - epidemiology; Diseases of mother, fetus and pregnancy; Female; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Premature; Leukomalacia, Periventricular - epidemiology; Male; Maternal Age; Medical sciences; Neurologic impairment; Obstetrics and Gynecology; Perinatal asphyxia; Perinatal infection; Perinatal risk factors; Placenta - pathology; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications - epidemiology; Pregnancy Outcome; Pregnancy. Fetus. Placenta; Preterm birth; Risk Factors; Croatia; Neurologic impairment; Perinatal asphyxia; Perinatal risk factors; Perinatal infection; Preterm birth; Human; Premature; Pregnancy disorders; Respiratory disease; Gynecology; Premature delivery; Perinatal; Asphyxia; Birth; Epidemiology; Obstetrics; Pregnancy; Infection; Association; Newborn; Prematurity; Risk factor; Child
• ISSN: 0020-7292; 1879-3479
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijgo.2008.02.008

Abstract Objective To determine the perinatal risk factors of long-term neurologic impairment for preterm infants. Methods A case-control study was conducted with 60 neurologically impaired and 60 healthy children, all born prematurely. Results There was no relation between neurologic impairment and maternal pregnancy complications or prenatal steroid administration, bacteriologic content of cervical smear, fetal presentation, fetal heart rate, or mode of delivery. Cerebral palsy was associated with early neurologic signs, perinatal asphyxia, neonatal septicemia, abnormal brain ultrasound findings, prolonged interval between rupture of membranes and delivery, and multiple placental lesions. Children with minimal cerebral dysfunction were more frequently first born. Multiple placental lesions, neonatal septicemia, abnormal brain ultrasound findings, and perinatal asphyxia were independently correlated with long-term neurologic impairment. Conclusion Perinatal infection, perinatal asphyxia, and abnormal brain ultrasound findings seem to be risk factors for cerebral palsy whereas primigravidity seems to be correlated with minimal cerebral dysfunction.