Abstract
Introduction and aim of study: The Czech perinatal care centers created in 2015 the Czech Neonatal Network within the international neonatal network eNewborn. This network is based on the database system into which data on a group of high-risk newborns are entered.
The aim of this work was to determine survival and neonatal morbidity in extremely premature neonates born between 22 and 27 gestational weeks in the Czech Republic. Methods: Evaluation of individual data from the eNewborn database on mortality and morbidity in newborns with gestational age <=27+6 from years 2015 and 2016.
Results: During study period, 728 live births were evaluated in the 22 to 27 gestational weeks. Study group mortality was 23%, ranging from 77% in the 22 gestational week to 4% in the 27 gestational week.
At discharge from hospital, 20% of surviving children had a moderate or severe BPD and 8% had a severe retinopathy of prematurity. The combined outcome of a moderate or severe BPD and death rate was 43% across the group, but severity of individual morbidities increased significantly with declining gestational age.
Conclusion: The nationwide outcomes of a group of extremely preterm newborns point to the heterogeneity of this group where the risk of both death and serious complications is most strongly associated with the decreasing gestational age.