Neurodevelopmental outcome for infants of very low birthweight admitted to a regional neonatal unit, 1979-1983.

From January 1979 to December 1983, 178 infants with birthweight 501-1500 g were admitted to the neonatal unit at Christchurch Women's Hospital. One hundred and twenty-nine (72.5%) survived to discharge from the unit. Six infants died post discharge by 12 months of age. Fifty-six percent of surviving infants for whom records were available were admitted to hospital in the first year of life. Thirty infants could not be traced for follow-up. Ninety-three infants were assessed for functional abnormalities utilising medical records, neurological examination and developmental assessment. Thirteen infants (14%) had handicap: 7 (7.5%) with mild or moderate and 6 (6.5%) with major dysfunction. It is essential that neonatologists know the long term outcome for their neonatal intensive care practices and provision must be made for comprehensive follow-up of surviving very low birthweight infants.