Preterm Births: Obstetric Features and Neonatal Outcomes at University Hospital Mostar

Background: The aim of this study was to determine and analyze the frequency and obstetric features of preterm birth and neonatal outcomes of infants born before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy. Methods: The retrospective study included 470 premature births. The following data on preterm births were collected from hospital records and analyzed: gestational age, type of preterm birth, multiple pregnancy and maternal parity. The parameters of preterm infants were: Apgar score, intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), perinatal asphyxia, respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), sepsis, necrotizing enterocolitis, intracranial hemorrhage, neonatal convulsions, hypoglycemia, blood transfusion, the need for surfactant, the need for mechanical ventilation, the length of stay in an Intensive Care Unit and early and late neonatal mortality.Main findings: The frequency of preterm births was 6.48%. The most common type of premature birth was spontaneous premature birth. Most complications occurred in neonates with a gestational age of 28-34 weeks. The most common respiratory complication was RDS (8.1%). Early neonatal mortality was 1.49% and late neonatal mortality was 0.85%.Principal conclusion: Neonatal outcomes of premature infants are directly proportional to their gestational age. The neonatal mortality rate of premature infants at Clinical Hospital Center Mostar (CHC) Mostar is comparable to other developing countries.Key words: preterm birth, gestational age neonatal outcome, perinatal care, neonatal mortality