SPSP Perinatal Programme Preterm Perinatal Wellbeing Package resources 2019

Many well-established interventions have shown improvements in outcomes for babies born prematurely. This is shown in both short- and long-term outcomes. As well as a significant reduction in mortality, these interventions reduce important morbidities .

Short term improvements

In the short term, these include:

  • intraventricular haemorrhage
  • preterm lung disease
  • sepsis
  • necrotising enterocolitis in the short term

Long term improvements

In the long term, it includes:

  • reduced cerebral palsy
  • improved neurological outcomes

Six process measures

The package is designed for maternity and neonatal colleagues to work in collaboration on the seven process measures.

  1. The smallest and most preterm babies (< 27 weeks) should deliver in a centre with a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) (level 3).
  2. All mothers of infants born < 30 weeks should be given magnesium sulphate antenatally within 24 hours of delivery.
  3. All mothers of infants born < 34 weeks should be given antenatal steroids within 1 week of birth, and ideally greater than 24 hours before delivery.
  4. Optimal cord clamping (≥ 60 seconds) should be carried out for all infants < 34 weeks unless specifically contraindicated, e.g. no signs of life, twin to twin transfusion syndrome, evidence of major placental separation.
  5. Babies should reach an admission temperature of 36.5-37.5°C within 1 hour of birth (<34 weeks gestation as per NNAP).
  6. Mothers own breast milk should be given to all infants < 34 weeks either as mouth care or enterally, within 24 hours of birth.

Further reading

Both these documents are on our ihub archive site.