Structure of morbidity in preterm infants during the first year of life based on registry data

Objective. To study was to examine the structure and incidence of diseases associated with prematurity during the first year of life depending on gestational age and birth weight, based on data from the registry of premature infants.

Materials and methods. An analytical study was conducted using anonymized data from the registry of premature infants. The analysis included data from 2660 premature infants registered in 2023; 178 records were excluded due to incomplete data. Groups were formed based on gestational age and birth weight. The incidence pattern and frequency of major disease classes were assessed, as well as the presence of statistically significant trends. Descriptive statistics and the χ² test for trends were used; the significance level was set at p < 0.05.

Results. The analysis demonstrated a statistically significant gradient dependence of the structure and intensive rates of morbidity in premature infants in the first year of life on birth weight. The highest rates were recorded in children with ELBW and VLBW. The highest morbidity was noted for retinopathy, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, anemia, and the nervous system diseases.

Conclusion. Birth weight and gestational age are significant predictors of morbidity in premature infants in the first year of life; however, they do not completely eliminate the risk of late prematurity. The use of the registry allows us to objectify the epidemiological profile of pathology and justify the need for a risk-stratified model for follow-up monitoring of all premature infants, taking into account the degree of perinatal risk.

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