Objective: In recent years advances in medical care and technology have increased newborn survival rate, both fullterm and preterm. This is reflected in a low Perinatal Mortality Rate in Iceland. Survival of extremely low birthweight infants (ELBW with BW<1000g) has also increased, especially since the availability of surfactant therapy for Respiratory Distress Syndrome of Prematurity. The purpose of this geographically defined national study was to evaluate survival and longterm outcome of ELBW children in Iceland.
Material and methods: Information on all births in Iceland 1982-95 was collected from the National Birth Registry and Statistics Iceland with information on ELBW infants weighing 500-999g born in two periods 1982-90 and 1991-95, before and after the use of surfactant became routine therapy. Information on disability was obtained from records at the State Social Security Institute. Comparison was made between the two groups of ELBW infants.
Results: In 1982-90 the proportion of ELBW infants was 0.3% of all births (116 of 38.378) and longterm survival at five years of age was 19 of 87 liveborn children or 22%. In 1991-95 ELBW infants were 0.5% of all births (102 of 22.261) and longterm survival was 35 of 67 liveborn children or 52%. Of the 19 ELBW children born in 1982-90 three are considered handicapped (16%) and 6 of 35 ELBW children born in 1991-95 (17%).
Conclusions: The study shows that at the same time that proportionally more children are of extreme low birthweight, the survival of ELBW infants has increased from 22% in 1982-90 to 52% in 1991-95. The proportion of ELBW children with disability is not increased significantly between the two periods.