Late Preterm Infants

Course overview

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends calling infants born between 34 0/7 weeks and 36 6/7 weeks late-preterm instead of near-term because their physiologic and metabolic immaturity cause higher morbidity and mortality; their special needs are often closer to those of premature rather than term infants. This group of infants, categorized as late-preterm, are a growing public health concern. Although they may look like term newborns in appearance and weight, late-preterm infants (LPI) have a greater risk for respiratory problems, temperature instability, hyperbilirubinemia, hypoglycemia, infection, apnea, feeding difficulties, breastfeeding failure, poor neurodevelopmental outcomes, and rehospitalization.