Demographic characteristics of the preterm newborns followed up in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Faculty of Medicine at Abant İzzet Baysal University

ABSTRACT Demographic characteristics of the preterm newborns followed up in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Faculty of Medicine at Özvarol O. Abant İzzet Baysal University, AİBÜ Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Dissertation, Bolu, 2013. Introduction: Preterm birth stands out among other reasons of neonatal mortality and morbidity in the entire world including developed countries. This study has aimed at evaluation of the prenatal, natal and postnatal problems of the babies, who were hospitalized and followed up in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Department of Pediatrics at AİBÜ Faculty of Medicine between January 2012 and July 2013, with premature diagnosis and their demographic characteristics retrospectively while making an effort to reduce the number of premature births and to ensure preterm babies recover with no sequela. Material and Method: In this study, demographic and medical data relevant to 146 premature babies born at 22-37 gestational weeks (> 22 gestational week, <37 gestational week) and hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Department of Pediatrics at AİBÜ Faculty of Medicine Hospital between January 2012 and July 2013 has been investigated retrospectively. Statistical analysis of the collected data was completed by Chi-Square and Fisher's Exact Chi-Squared tests and it was evaluated at 95% reliability domain. Findings: 146 cases were investigated in this study. 53.4% (n=78) of these cases were male and 46.6% (n=68) of the cases were female. Considering the cases according to their gestational weeks, 55.5% (n=81) of the cases were right at the boundary, 25.3% (n=37) of them were mid-degree premature, 15.1% (n=22) were advance degree premature and 4.1% (n=6) were immature. 80.8% (n=118) of the cases were born through C-section and 19.2% (n=28) were born through normal delivery. 28.8% (n=42) of the cases had developed respiratory distress syndrome, 6.8% (n=10) of them had developed bronchopulmonary dysplasia, 7.5% (n=11) pneumonia, 3.4% (n=5) meconium aspiration syndrome, 4.1% (n=6) necrotizing enterocolitis, 50.7% (n=74) neonatal jaundice, 6.2% (n=9) intracranial hemorrhage and 4.8% (n=7) of them had developed newborn convulsions. Also, 12.3% (n=18) of the cases were diagnosed with patent ductus arteriosus and 6.2% of them were diagnosed with ventricular septal defect. 95.9% (n=140) of the cases were discharged with complete recovery after hospitalization and treatment in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and 4.1% (n=6) of the cases resulted in mortality. Result: An appropriate antenatal follow up shall be applied in order to reduce premature births. Majority of the premature births happen as a result of high risk pregnancies. The problems encountered by premature babies will be reduced by intrauterine transport of high risk babies. Keywords: Prematurity, gestational age, labor pain, antenatal follow up