Recommendations for the follow-up of the late preterm infant

Prematurity continues to be the leading cause of neonatal and infant morbidity and mortality and stands as one of the most important health problems, especially in industrialized countries. Late preterm infants are those born between 34⁰ and 36⁶ weeks of gestational age and represent 70-74% of all premature births. PT show a higher incidence of pathology compared to term infant and not only in the neonatal period but also during childhood, with higher rates of hospital readmissions and visits to emergency services, an increased risk of infections, of failure to thrive, respiratory problems and neurodevelopmental disorders. Our objective will be to anticipate diagnoses and apply early interventions, mainly at the level of neurodevelopment, which will increase the likelihood of better outcomes. In this line, from the working group SEN34-36 of the Spanish Society of Neonatology and in collaboration with the Spanish Association of Pediatrics of Primary Care, this document of Recommendations for the follow-up of the late preterm infant has been edited in order to raise awareness among pediatricians and neonatologists about the most common pathologies in these babies, and on which we must focus our attention, thereby providing a working guide to the professionals involved in the follow-up of this group of premature infants.