Follow-up studies of very low birth weight infants (1,250 grams or less) born and treated within a perinatal center.

The growth and development of inborn very low birth weight infants was evaluated in 50 of 60 survivors from 132 babies weighing less than or equal to 1,250 gm born July 1974 to December 1977. Mean +/- SE birth weight and gestation was 1,066 +/- 19.3 gm and 29.5 +/- 0.3 weeks, respectively, with 13 infants small-for-gestational age. Of the survivors, 26% weighed less than or equal to 1,000 gm. Male to female ratio was 1:1.4. Apgar scores less than or equal to 5 at five minutes occurred in 16% of the infants. Respiratory distress syndrome occurred in 56%, but only 10% (5/50) required mechanical ventilation. At 1 year, 46% small for gestational age (SGA) and 8% appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants were less than the third percentile for weight. Major neurologic abnormality occurred in three infants (6%), one of whom is also blind. Grade V retrolental fibroplasia occurred in two others. Severe developmental delay (development quotient < 80, Gesell) occurred in these five infants and two other neurologically normal babies. Of 15 infants weighing less than or equal to 1,000 gm, two had major handicaps. Eight percent of the AGA infants and 30% of the SGA infants had major handicaps. These data indicate that infants born and treated in a perinatal center have a decreased incidence of asphyxia and severe respiratory distress syndrome and that the incidence of major handicaps is reduced, especially in the appropriate for gestational age baby.