Neurodevelopmental Outcomes of Very Low Birth Weight Infants at 18-24 Months, Corrected Gestational Age in a Tertiary Health Centre: A Prospective Cohort Study

Abstract

Objective: To determine the prevalence and risk factors for poor neurodevelopmental outcome in a cohort of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants.

Subjects and methods: Four hundred and twenty-two infants of a total of 643 VLBW survivors from a teaching hospital in South India were followed up to assess their neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Results: Among the 422 children who completed the assessment, results of 359 children whose assessments were done between 18 and 24 months were analysed. Thirty-seven children (10.31%) had poor neurodevelopmental outcome, six children [1.67%] had cerebral palsy, one child had visual impairment and another had hearing impairment. Poor post-natal growth was independently associated with poor neurodevelopmental outcomes in the multivariate analysis (p = 0.045). Neonatal complications were not associated with the developmental outcome.

Conclusion: Despite lower rates of neonatal complications compared with Western cohorts, significant proportion of VLBW infants had poor neurodevelopmental outcomes. Poor post-natal growth was an important determinant of the developmental outcome.