Changes in neonatal intensive care during three periods are depicted: 1) Before and during the advent of neonatology when a fall of infant mortality (first 28 days of life) from 25 to 17/1,000 was observed. 2) The introduction of new technology, perinatology with amniocentesis to determine maturity and disease states of the fetus, and the application of infant monitoring of physiological and biochemical parameters prior to constant positive airway pressure were associated with a fall in infant mortality to 16/1,000, 3) The introduction of intrauterine Ph, ultrasound and physiological monitoring of mothers and the introduction of constant positive airway pressure (CPAP) resulted in a further reduction of mortality, especially of smaller infants. When all infants under 1,000 grams are excluded, as the Europeans did at this time, the adjusted infant mortality rate fell from 16.1/1,000 before the study to 7.7/1,000, a highly significant difference. (Slide)

This table compares the incidence of cerebral palsy in our center with other major centers in the United States and abroad during the 1970's. Our incidence of cerebral palsy from the advent of the Children and Youth Project in 1968 to 1976 for infants under 2,500

BACK　　　CONTENTS　　　NEXT