Late preterm births: a retrospective analysis of the morbidity risk stratified for gestational age.

Purpose: Late-preterm births are considered functionally mature but, several line of evidences suggest that, compared with term neonates, they have a higher risk of complications. The aim of this study was to compare the incidence of maior clinical complications of late preterm infants born in our division, compared to those born at term.

Methods: We retrospectively analysed late preterm deliveries occurred in a twenty-months period.