Twenty-five-year trends in mortality and major morbidity among very low birth weight infants at a Saudi tertiary centre: improving morbidity despite expanding resuscitation at the limits of viability - Scorecard - MDSpire

Twenty-five-year trends in mortality and major morbidity among very low birth weight infants at a Saudi tertiary centre: improving morbidity despite expanding resuscitation at the limits of viability

  • By

  • Lana A. Shaiba

  • Adnan Hadid

  • Khalid Almoosa

  • Abdulmalik Alharbi

  • Khalid Alharbi

  • Mohammed Albabtain

  • Badr Sobaih

  • July 9, 2026

  • 0 min

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Clinical Scorecard: Longitudinal Analysis of Mortality and Major Morbidity Trends in Very Low Birth Weight Infants Over 25 Years at a Saudi Tertiary Center: Enhanced Outcomes Amidst Expanded Resuscitation Efforts at the Limits of Viability

At a Glance

CategoryDetail
ConditionVery Low Birth Weight (VLBW) Infants
Key MechanismsPhysiological immaturity leading to high risks of respiratory failure, sepsis, feeding intolerance, and thermoregulatory instability.
Target PopulationInborn VLBW infants (birth weight <1,500 g, gestational age <33 weeks)
Care SettingNeonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

Key Highlights

  • Crude survival rates declined from 88.7% to 79.0% over 25 years.
  • Substantial reductions in early-onset sepsis (11.0% to 2.3%) and late-onset sepsis (37.2% to 17.2%).
  • Necrotising enterocolitis prevalence decreased from 15.6% to 9.3%.
  • Severe retinopathy requiring treatment fell from 34.5% to 6.3%.
  • Respiratory distress syndrome prevalence rose to 99.5%.

Guideline-Based Recommendations

Diagnosis

  • Monitor gestational age and birth weight for VLBW infants.

Management

  • Implement evidence-based infection-prevention bundles and lung-protective ventilation strategies.

Monitoring & Follow-up

  • Regularly assess for respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, and other major morbidities.

Risks

  • Be aware of the increased risk of mortality and morbidity in infants at the limits of viability.

Patient & Prescribing Data

VLBW infants admitted to NICU at King Saud University Medical City.

Active resuscitation policies have evolved, particularly for infants born at 22-24 weeks gestation.

Clinical Best Practices

  • Standardize resuscitation practices at the limits of viability.
  • Conduct multicentre surveillance for benchmarking outcomes.
  • Focus on reducing major morbidities alongside improving survival rates.

Related Resources & Content

Original Source(s)

Twenty-five-year trends in mortality and major morbidity among very low birth weight infants at a Saudi tertiary centre: improving morbidity despite expanding resuscitation at the limits of viability

  • by Lana A. Shaiba, Adnan Hadid, Khalid Almoosa, Abdulmalik Alharbi, Khalid Alharbi, Mohammed Albabtain, Badr Sobaih

  • July 9, 2026

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