Morbidity pattern of sick hospitalized preterm infants in Karachi, Pakistan

Despite recent advances, prematurity is associated with high morbidity and mortality in developing countries. We conducted a descriptive case series to identify frequency of various morbidities in premature neonates at Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), Karachi, from November 2008 to April 2009. All inborn premature 37 weeks gestation were included in study. The frequency of preterm birth during study period was 13.3% (251/1885) of which 58% (n=145) required admission in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Mean gestational age was 33 ± 2.4 weeks and mean birth weight, was 1.88 ± 0.5 kg. 25% of patients were small for gestational age (SGA) while 75% appropriate for gestational age (AGA). Metabolic derangement was the most common morbidity, observed in 93% of patients followed by sepsis, seen in 43.6 % neonates. Respiratory distress syndrome was observed in 35.5% of neonates while intraventricular haemorrhage was seen only in 3.5% patients. Mean length of stay for preterm infants in NICU was 11.5 ± 9.6 days, 14% (n=20) preterm neonates expired during NICU stay