Researchers from Christchurch are looking into the favorable level of oxygen to give premature babies to stabilize their condition, according to a report from Medical Xpress.
In a new international study, a team of researchers led by Professor Brian Darlow, University of Otago, Christchurch, investigated how much oxygen was needed for a very premature baby to stabilize.
For this study, researchers tested more than 2,500 babies who were born at least 12 weeks premature. According to a November report from World Health Organization, nearly 15 million babies are born before completing 37 weeks of gestation, which results in health complications. Nearly 1 million babies die from preterm birth every year. The survey shows that preterm birth is the leading cause of newborn deaths .
After birth, most premature babies need extra oxygen for many weeks, says Professor Darlow. The level of oxygen they get is measured with a small probe on a hand or a foot. The most favorable level of oxygen a premature baby should be given is yet to be discovered though researchers have stated that too much or too less oxygen can be harmful for premature babies.
Prior to the research, scientists had analyzed many levels of oxygen for premature babies to try and gauge whether targeting the bottom half or the upper half of the range in oxygen levels for premature babies was better.
"We found that babies cared for on the lower oxygen target had slightly lower survival rates than babies on the higher target," Professor Darlow explained. "This is important information because many doctors were favoring lower targets in an attempt to prevent problems of higher oxygen, including serious problems with later vision. But the eye disease can be quite successfully treated."
Researchers aim to conduct trials on a larger number and practice worldwide. Additional help from Neonatal intensive care units at Auckland City Hospital, Middlemore, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin helped the study achieve these results.
