Tehran University Medical Journal

---

Background: Much has changed in neonatal care for extremely low birth weight (ELBW birth weight <1000g) infants over the recent years in Iran, resulting in an increase in their survival rate. We determined neonatal survival and short-term morbidity rates among ELBW infants, and the correlation of these factors with mortality risk.
Methods: All single live-born ELBW babies delivered at Vali-e-Asr Hospital over a four-year period were identified. Data that were prospectively collected included: maternal age, prenatal and perinatal complications, antenatal steroid use, birth weight, gestational age, route of delivery, sex, need for resuscitation, APGAR score, need for mechanical ventilation, and complications including respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), sepsis, jaundice, intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), necrotizing entrocolitis (NEC) metabolic and hematologic and cardiac disorders. Information was statistically analyzed and a probability value of <0.05 was considered significant.
Results: A total of 93 neonates were included in the study. The survival rate in the delivery room was 36.6%. The lowest birth weight was 400g, with a mean birth weight of 850.43(±136.48)g, and the lowest gestational age was 22 weeks. The mean gestational period was 28.31(±2.77) weeks. The most frequent complication after birth was RDS(69.89%) and the least frequent was NEC (6.4%). Short and normal gestation was observed in 44.08% and 48.4% of the neonates, respectively. There was a significant relationship between neonatal mortality and the need for resuscitation after birth, RDS and need for a respirator (p<0.05). Furthermore, there was significant increase in mortality among neonates with gestational age <30 weeks, birth weight under 750g and lack of steroids before birth (p<0.05).
Conclusions: To enhance perinatal and neonatal care and decrease the rate of preterm labor, improved standard resuscitation and increased administration of antenatal steroids and respirators are required.

---

Background: Neonatal deaths stand for almost two-thirds of all deaths occurring in infants under one year of age. Congenital anomalies are responsible for 24.5% of these cases forming a highly important issue for health policy-makers.
Methods: We studied the pre-, peri- and post-natal conditions of 77 patients with multiple congenital anomalies (MCA) through genetic counseling at Several university Hospitals, in Tehran, Iran. The collected data were subsequently analyzed using SPSS software.
Results: The patients did not have a good prognosis, demonstrating the need for the diagnosis of such diseases early in pregnancy to be of utmost importance. We screened for trisomy and nuchal translucency, which the first showed a low risk and the second showed normal results in most cases.
Conclusion: Establishment of standards for prenatal diagnosis of congenital anomalies and monitoring their implementation seem to be necessary for the reduction of deaths due to congenital anomalies and infant mortality rate (IMR).