Pediatria pre prax 1/2010

Care of the late-preterm infant from the aspect of general practitioner for children and teenagers

Late-preterm infants born between 340/7 and 366/7 weeks‘ gestation are a new category of neonates at risk. Their birth weight can be almost the same as in term infants, but they are much less physiologically mature. Thus, they are at higher risk of morbidity and mortality than term infants. Late-preterm infants are predisposed to respiratory distress, apnea, temperature instability, hypoglycemia, hyperbilirubinemia, and poor feeding. Risk factors that have been identified for rehospitalization among late-preterm infants include being the first born, being breastfed at discharge, having a mother who had labor and delivery complications. Follow-up of these patients by their pediatrician after discharge needs to be done at home frequently in order to check the infant, his vitality, ability to be breastfed and intensity of jaundice. Only by means of intensive follow-up of late preterm neonates is possible to find their problems in time and prevent them from long term consequences.

Keywords: late preterm neonate, morbidity, hyperbilirubinemia, failure to thrive, readmission, prognosis.