Cumulative effect of evidence-based practices on outcomes of preterm infants born at <29 weeks' gestational age.

Background: Extremely preterm infants born at <29 weeks' gestational age are at high risk of death or severe neurological injury. Several individual evidence-based practices have been associated with neuroprotection.

Objective: The objective of the study was to investigate the cumulative effect of 4 evidence-based practices and their association with death and/or severe neurological injury among infants born at <29 weeks' gestational age.

Outcomes of singleton small for gestational age preterm infants exposed to maternal hypertension: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are a major cause of small for gestational age (SGA). Preterm SGA infants have higher rates of adverse outcomes than appropriate for gestational age infants. However, the outcomes are not well established in the setting of HDP.

The role of antenatal corticosteroids in twin pregnancies complicated by preterm birth.

Background: Data regarding the effects of antenatal corticosteroids in twin pregnancies are limited because of the insufficient number of women with twins enrolled in randomized controlled trials on antenatal corticosteroids. Furthermore, the interpretation of available data is limited by the fact that the interval from the administration of antenatal corticosteroids to delivery is greater than 7 days in a large proportion of twins, a factor that has been shown to affect the efficacy of antenatal corticosteroids and has not been controlled for in previous studies.

Objective: The objective of the study was to compare neonatal mortality and morbidity in preterm twins receiving a complete course of antenatal corticosteroids 1-7 days before birth to those who did not receive antenatal corticosteroids and to compare these outcome effects with those observed in singletons.

Temporal changes in blood product usage in preterm neonates born at less than 30 weeks' gestation in Canada.

Background: Knowledge of neonatal transfusion practices remains limited to local cohorts or survey-based studies. This study evaluated the pattern and temporal changes in the types and frequency of blood product use among preterm neonates born at less than 30 weeks' gestation in Canada.

Study Design And Methods: A retrospective cohort study of preterm neonates born at less than 30 weeks' gestation and admitted to participating neonatal intensive care units in the Canadian Neonatal Network from 2004 to 2012 was conducted to evaluate blood product usage.