“Late-Preterm” Infants: A Population at Risk
- William A. Engle, MD,
- Kay M. Tomashek, MD,
- Carol Wallman, MSN,
- and the Committee on Fetus and Newborn
Abstract
Late-preterm infants, defined by birth at 34
through 36
weeks' gestation, are less physiologically and metabolically mature than term infants. Thus, they are at higher risk of morbidity
and mortality than term infants. The purpose of this report is to define “late preterm,” recommend a change in terminology
from “near term” to “late preterm,” present the characteristics of late-preterm infants that predispose them to a higher risk
of morbidity and mortality than term infants, and propose guidelines for the evaluation and management of these infants after
birth.
- Copyright © 2007 by the American Academy of Pediatrics
