Premature babies surviving without brain problems

A new US study has suggested that more babies born extremely prematurely are surviving without neurological problems.

Published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the study by Duke Health studied 4,274 babies born between 22 and 24 weeks and found that a larger percentage were now toddlers without signs of moderate or severe cognitive and motor delay compared with those born a decade earlier.

Approximately 30 per cent of children included in the study who were born between the years 2000 and 2003 survived, with the rate increasing to 36 per cent for babies born in 2008 to 2011. Additionally, the proportion of survivors who did not have a neurological impairment rose from 16 per cent to 20 per cent.

The improvements are being attributed to changes in care, with some doctors, including researching professor Michael Cotten, claiming that the greater use of steroids in mothers at risk of premature birth are also thought to have contributed to the increase in survival and fewer signs of developmental delay. Steroids help the baby develop in the womb.

Professor Noelle Younge, who was involved in the research, said: “We see evidence of improvement over time. But we do need to keep an eye on the overall numbers, as a large percentage of infants born at this stage still do not survive. Those who survive without significant impairment at about age two are still at risk for numerous other challenges to their overall health.”