Late Preterm Birth Is Associated with Respiratory Morbidity in the U.S.

Late preterm birth (34 through 36 weeks' gestation) has been associated with higher neonatal morbidity and mortality than term birth, but most evidence is based on decade-old data from studies conducted outside the U.S. To evaluate recent obstetrical care in the U.S., researchers retrospectively reviewed data collected at 19 U.S. hospitals involving 233,367 births from 2002 through 2008 (870ccurred in 2005–2007) and compared respiratory morbidity in 21,367 (9.1%) late preterm infants and 183,790 (78.6%) term infants (37–40 weeks' gestation).

Mothers of late preterm infants had significantly more medical complications (pregnancy-related hypertension, preexisting diabetes, and renal disease) than did mothers of term infants, and late preterm i…