As a result of advances in neonatal intensive care and perinatal care, neurodevelopmental outcomes of very low birth weight infant(VLBWIS) is expected to lead to improvement. The aim of this study was to report neurodevelopmental outcomes and risk factors of neurologic impairment of very low birth weight infants during the past 10 years.

We performed a retrospective study of 447 newborn infants below 1,500 gm admitted to neonatal intensive care unit of Taegu Fatima Hospital between Janury 1996 and December 2004. Infants were subdivided into group 1(Jan. 1996 to Dec. 1998), group 2(Jan. 1999 to Dec. 2001), and group3(Jan. 2002 to Dec. 2004). We analyzed epidemiologic data to study changes of neurodevelopmental outcomes and risk factors of neurologic impairment.

The incidence of cerebral palsy and developmental delay decreased significantly in periods 2 and 3(vs period 1; cerebral palsy 10 percent, developmental delay; 18 percent, P <0.05). Periventricular leukomalacia incidence decreased in period 3(vs period 1; 14.5 percent, P <0.05). The overall survival rate of VLBWIS increased significantly in period 2 and 3(vs period 1; 90.0 percent, P <0.05). The risk factors of neurologic impairment are long-term ventilator care(above 1 wk), low Apgar score, low gestational age and low birth weight.

In the most recent 10 years, neurologic impairments of VLBWIS significantly decreased, as a result of advances in neonatal intensive care and perinatal care.