Very low-weight preterm infants: from birth until the first year of age

Abstract

Very-low weight preterm infants are more vulnerable to health conditions. This study aimed at describing some characteristics of very-low weight preterm infants in a university hospital of São Paulo, Brazil. Data were obtained from the records of 60 preterm infants admitted to the hospital between 1999 and 2000. birth weight, pregnancy age, and hospital-stay length averages were:1,084 kg, 30 weeks, and 59.3 days, respectively. These infants were submitted to invasive procedures, such as venous puncture, orogastric tube insertion, mechanical ventilation, central venous catheter placement, etc., and 75.0% were followed-up in the neonatal out-patient unit. These infants required specialized care, long hospital stay, and out-patient follow-up by a multidisciplinary team.