Stephon JOHN, Ulanda HAYNES, Winsome SCOTT
Perinatal Journal - 2026;34(3):1-10
To estimate the hospital incidence proportion and discharge survival of infants born at 28-32 completed weeks at Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation in 2023, and to describe maternal characteristics, neonatal complications and care within the cohort. This retrospective cohort included all inborn infants recorded at 28+0 to 32+6 weeks at Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation from January through December 2023. Maternal, neonatal and discharge data were abstracted from clinical records and summarised descriptively. Among 5,284 liveborn infants, 114 were born at 28-32 completed weeks, corresponding to 21.6 per 1,000 live births (95% confidence interval, 18.0-25.9). Mean gestational age was 30.1 weeks and mean birth weight was 1,324.3 g (standard deviation, 276.1 g). Caesarean delivery occurred in 65/114 (57.0%); 60/114 (52.6%) infants were intubated and received surfactant for severe respiratory distress syndrome. Presumed neonatal sepsis was documented in 49/114 (43.0%). Eighty-one infants survived to hospital discharge and 33 died, giving discharge survival of 71.1% (95% confidence interval, 62.2-78.6). Post-discharge vital status was unknown for 35/81 infants at six months and 36/81 at one year. Infants born at 28-32 completed weeks represented 21.6 per 1,000 hospital live births, and 71.1% survived to discharge. Substantial post-discharge loss to follow-up prevented reliable estimation of six- and twelve-month survival. Standardised neonatal documentation, sepsis surveillance and follow-up registration are priorities for prospective quality-improvement evaluation.
