Abstract
Late preterm infants, commonly defined as 34 0/7 to 36 6/7 weeks of gestation, have an underappreciated risk of increased morbidity and mortality when compared to their full-term counterparts. This population accounts for almost three quarters of all preterm births and has increased over the past 25 years. Although generally not as sick as earlier preterm infants, late preterm infants may present with significant respiratory morbidity, jaundice, feeding difficulties, temperature instability, hypoglycemia, infection, and apnea. These complications may lead to an increased initial length of hospital stay and a higher rate of readmission. In addition to an increased mortality rate, survivors are at increased risk for long-term adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes.
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Pearlman, S.A., Kenaley, K. (2019). Evaluation and Management of the Late Preterm Infant. In: Martin, G., Rosenfeld, W. (eds) Common Problems in the Newborn Nursery. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95672-5_5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95672-5_5
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