New Publication—Deaths of extremely premature infants decrease
Deaths of extremely premature infants decrease; fewer dying of breathing complications
In a large, national study of extremely premature infants, researchers found that death rates decreased from 2000 to 2011. An analysis of specific causes found that deaths attributed to immaturity or pulmonary causes and complicated by infection or central nervous system injury all decreased; however, deaths attributed to necrotizing enterocolitis increased. Necrotizing enterocolitis is an intestinal complication resulting from prematurity.
The study results are published in the Jan. 22 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health, and Dr. Ravi Patel received research support from the Atlanta Clinical and Translational Science Institute and the Emory-Children’s Center for Clinical and Translational Research.
Read more here.