Objective: To determine the mortality and morbidity rates of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants in Songklanagarind Hospital.
Material and Method: A retrospective study of all infants with birth weight < 1,500 g admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit between January 2003 and December 2006.
Results: A total of 178 VLBW infants, met the enrollment criteria, with mean (+ standard deviation-SD) birth weight and gestational age of 1,123 + 273 g and 29 + 3 weeks, respectively. Forty-two (23.6%) were referred from other hospitals. The overall mortality rate was 27.0%. Perinatal risk factors of mortality were birth weight < 1,000 g (p < 0.01), congenital anomalies (p < 0.01), and Apgar score at 1 minute < 5 (p < 0.01). Among the 130 (73.0%) survivors to discharge, 92 (70.8%) survived without major morbidity. The major morbidities were moderate/severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia, retinopathy of prematurity stage 3, necrotizing enterocolitis stage > 2 and intraventricular hemorrhage grade > III in 31 (23.8%), 12 (9.2%), 4 (3.1%) and 2 (1.5%) infants, respectively.
Conclusion: The mortality rate of VLBW infants in Songklanagarind Hospital was similar to other developing countries, although greater than in developed countries. Among survivors, the major morbidity rates were acceptable.

Keyword : Very low birth weight infant, Outcome, Mortality, Morbidity