PEDIATRICS Vol. 120 No. 6 December 2007, pp. 1390-1401 (doi:10.1542/peds.2007-2952)

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CLINICAL REPORT

"Late-Preterm" Infants: A Population at Risk

Late-preterm infants, defined by birth at 34 through 36 weeks' gestation, are less physiologically and metabolically mature than term infants. Thus, they are at higher risk of morbidity and mortality than term infants. The purpose of this report is to define "late preterm," recommend a change in terminology from "near term" to "late preterm," present the characteristics of late-preterm infants that predispose them to a higher risk of morbidity and mortality than term infants, and propose guidelines for the evaluation and management of these infants after birth.

Key Words: late preterm • near-term • moderate preterm • morbidity • mortality • readmission

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