Morbilidad neonatal en prematuros tardíos versus recién nacidos a término precoz: estudio comparativo retrospectivo

Introduction: An increase has been observed in the number of late preterm newborns, a group that presents a morbidity rate six to seven times higher compared to term newborns. It is crucial to analyze the differences in morbidity between late preterm and early term newborns, aiming to optimize medical care for both groups. Method: Analytical observational study of a retrospective type, with a comparative design between two cohorts of newborns. The comparison will include sociodemographic variables and clinical variables of the newborns studied. Descriptive statistics were used for the characterization of the population, and the Odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval was calculated to compare morbidity. Results: Forty-two late preterm patients and fifty-eight early term newborns were included. Regarding the newborns, late preterm infants presented a higher risk of jaundice, feeding difficulties, transient tachypnea, greater need for invasive mechanical ventilation with prolonged use, and a requirement for FiO2 greater than 0.3%. A higher requirement for FiO2 > 0.3% was observed in this group (OR: 4.25; 95% CI: 1.6–11.1), as well as a significantly greater need for phototherapy lasting more than 48 hours (OR: 4.2; 95% CI: 1.5–11.6). Conclusions: Late preterm newborns present a higher risk of morbidity associated with their immaturity. Our study confirms that this neonatal group faces significant complications compared to early term newborns, which highlights the importance of strategies aimed at their follow-up and clinical management.