Prediction of outcome in 164 infants born after 24 to 28 weeks gestation.

Between 1984 and 1987 164 infants born after 24 to 28 completed weeks were admitted to our unit. In 6 children respirator treatment was withdrawn between days 6 and 57 mainly on the basis of severe intracranial bleeding and periventricular leucomalacia. Among 102 (62%) surviving infants, 18 (18%) had a major handicap (cerebral palsy, IQ less than 50, blindness) at follow-up, in 6 of the 18 (6%) there was a combination of several major handicaps. We conclude that we can still not reliably predict serious handicap and we are therefore faced with a serious ethical dilemma which we think can best be approached in a trust-relationship between parents and staff.