The Developmental Profile and Outcome of 325 Unselected Preterm Infants Up to Two Years of Age

Abstract

A regional birth cohort of 351 preterm infants born between the 1st June, 1981 and the 31st May, 1982 was followed-up during the first two years of life. The follow-up data were obtained from 325 preterm infants. The term, appropriate-for-gestational age low-risk infants born in the region during the same period served as a control population. The follow-up examinations took place at the well-baby clinics run by public health nurses and health centre physicians at 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months of conceptional age. A modification of the Denver Developmental Screening Test was applied in the follow-up. In 15 (5%) preterm infants the developmental outcome at two years was doubtful or abnormal. The developmental outcome at two years was doubtful or abnormal. The developmental outcome in preterm infants was associated with gestational age, birthweight, severity of respiratory distress and five-minute Apgar score when analyzed separately. After stepwise logistic regression analysis only five-minute Apgar score significantly predicted the gross motor and fine motor outcomes while the psychosocial outcome was associated with five-minute Apgar score and birthweight. The developmental profiles of the preterm infants differed from those of the control infants by showing higher percentages of unoptimal scores especially in fine motor development at three months and psychosocial development at two years. The prognosis for preterm infants without complications was, however, near that of their term peers.