LAY TITLE: To define the 5 year outcome for survivors following extremely premature birth.

The EPICure study has identified every surviving baby born at 25 weeks and 6 days gestation or less in the UK and Ireland in a ten month period in 1995. The 308 surviving extremely preterm children will be evaluated at five years of age in school and their performance compared to that of a randomly chosen classmate. This will define their general health, the extent of disability or learning difficulties and any behaviour problems. These findings will be analysed using information available at delivery and in the neonatal period, from other findings made at 12 and 30 months of age, to identify if these problems or difficulties may be predicted around the time of birth.

With this information it will be possible for obstetricians, midwives and neonatologists know what to expect and give advice and counselling to parents of a preterm baby.

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