Developmental Characteristics of Preterm Infants

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The increasing rate of preterm delivery (prior to 37 completed weeks of gestation) is well documented. Because of their anatomic and functional immaturity and their related elevated risks for minor and more significant complications, preterm infants invariably present special challenges to the pediatrician. Although developmental shortcomings and the specific problems encountered by the extremely preterm infant generally are more significant than those of more mature infants, developmental characteristics can be highly variable among babies born at or reaching any specific gestational age.

Because the developmental characteristics of preterm infants relate primarily to their maturity, the determination or estimation of gestational age is essential in their evaluation. A reliable menstrual history and early ultrasonographic dating are most helpful in this regard. This information, however, is not always available; in these cases, the infant's gestational age is assessed.

Historically, the Dubowitz and Ballard methods have been used …