Characteristics at delivery and immediate postnatal period
Most babies were female (60.2%) and moderate to late PT (56.6%, >32 weeks’ gestation; median gestational age and range=36.3 weeks (22.0–41.7)). Of infants born PT, 66.1% were late PT (34 to <37 weeks), 17.6% were moderate PT (32 to <34 weeks), 13.9% were very PT (28 to <32) and only 2.5% were extremely PT (22 to <28). Birth weight was over 2500 g for 35.6%, and more than 90% had 5 min Apgar scores ≥7. Sixteen per cent were admitted to the newborn unit, and 35.6% needed special care (ie, oxygen, phototherapy, kangaroo mother care) in the first month of life. Approximately 50.6% of mothers were aged 19–25. Most were multiparous (70.4%) and 13% of deliveries were by C-section (Compared with the eligible pool of caregivers and infants from the parent study, mothers in the current study were older on average (24.7 years vs 23.6 years, t=3.16, p<0.005), and babies were more likely female (60.2% vs 52.8%, χ