Effect of intrauterine growth and gestational maturity of the morbidity and mortality pattern of babies requiring special care.

PIP: In an attempt to reduce infant morbidity and mortality a prospective study looking at intrauterine growth and various infant morbidity and mortality patterns was undertaken in Kanpur. Infants were grouped into preterm small for delivery (SFD) and average for delivery (AFD) and term SFD. Term AFD babies who required special attention were included also. Of 102 preterm SFD 74.5% died while 48.3% of the AFD died. Mortality rates for term AFD and SFD babies were 35.5% and 29% respectively. Hypoxia and infections accounted for 31.4% of preterm SFD mortality and 27.4% of morbidities. Among preterm AFD babies, injections, birth hypoxia and intreranial hemorrhage were the leading cause of morbidity. Hypoglycemia was diagnosed only in SFD newborns. Different mortality patterns were found to be significantly different between preterm AFD and SFD and term AFD and SFD babies. The study indicates that preterm AFD and SFD babies require maximum specialized services.^ieng