The frequency of select adaptation disorders in preterm newborns

Background: Preterm birth, defined as the birth of an infant before 37 complete weeks of gestation, is the singlemajor cause of death and disability in children up to 5 years of age in the developed world.Aim of the study: The study aimed at analyzing select adaptation disorders in newborns delivered between34–37 weeks of gestation and in particular, (1) determining the frequency of breathing, thermoregulatory,hypoglycemic and pathological hepatic disorders, and (2) examining underlying factors that determine theirincidence.Material and methods: The study was carried out according to the documentoscopy on the basis of medicalfiles collected between 2019–2020 at the Neonatal and Preterm Baby Unit in WS SPZOZ (the regional hospital)in Nowa Sól. The records of 102 preterm newborn patients were examined, which included the birth book,detailed newborn observation charts, fever charts and individual patient observation charts.Results: The most commonly diagnosed disorders included hepatitis (21.6%; 50) and thermoregulation disorders(20.3%; 47). Additionally, hypoglycemia and tachypnea were observed in every third child (31.4% and29.4%, respectively) and almost every fourth newborn experienced some respiratory disorders (23.5%). Amongthe findings, maternal and gestational age were not found to be statistically significant with respect to an associationwith the incidence of the disorders examined in the study. However, hepatitis was more frequently diagnosedamong naturally born children (64.5%) compared with those delivered by Cesarean (C) section (42.3%,p=0.039). Respiratory disorders were more often found in children delivered by C-section (21.1%) than in thoseborn naturally (3.2%, p=0.022).Conclusions: Hepatitis and thermoregulatory disorders occurred most frequently in preterm infants of all theadaptation disorders examined. The type of delivery was quite determinant for some of the disorders. Hepatitiswas found more often in naturally born babies than in those delivered by C-section, whereas respiratoryproblems occurred more frequently in children delivered by C-section compared with those delivered naturally.Mothers who wish to deliver their babies by C-section should be informed about potential complications associatedwith the occurrence of respiratory disorders. They can stem from the absorption of pulmonary liquidand inappropriate surfactant activity, which can lead to some serious abnormalities related to the improperexchange of respiratory gases.