Since 1990, neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) around the world have submitted data to Vermont Oxford Network for the purposes of benchmarking and quality improvement and published annually in Database Summaries. Vermont Oxford Network provides two summaries: one for infants 501 to 1500 grams, and one for infants in the Expanded Database of all NICU admissions. All Vermont Oxford Network members submit data to the Very Low Birth Weight database for infants whose birth weight is less than or equal to 1500 grams or whose gestational age is less than or equal to 29 weeks. Members can also submit data on all NICU admissions regardless of gestational age or birth weight.

These reports are intended for use as part of a continuous quality improvement program. We encourage you to use the reports in that spirit.

Infants 501 to 1500 Grams at Birth

In 2021, 1,070 centers registered 57,441 infants weighing 501 to 1500 grams of which 85% were exposed to antenatal steroids, 76% were born via cesarean section, and 11% were <36°C upon admission to the NICU. Overall, 12% of the population died before discharge from the hospital and 42% experienced death or morbidity (severe intraventricular hemorrhage, chronic lung disease, necrotizing enterocolitis, pneumothorax, any late infection, or cystic periventricular leukomalacia). The mean initial length of stay was 58 days.

Infants at Expanded Centers

In 2021, 526 centers registered 216,189 infants in the Expanded Database of which 13% were part of a multiple gestation, 59% were born via cesarean section, and 7% had a congenital anomaly. In this population, 2% were diagnosed with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, 2% with seizures, and 1% with meconium aspiration syndrome. The mean initial length of stay was 19 days.

If you use any information contained in these reports in a publication or presentation, please apply the following citation and disclaimer.

Citation: Vermont Oxford Network Database Summary for Infants 501 to 1500 Grams Born in year. Burlington, VT: Vermont Oxford Network; publication year.

Disclaimer: Vermont Oxford Network had no role in the concept, design, analysis, or formulation of this work. The discussion and views belong solely to the co-authors and do not represent the opinions of Vermont Oxford Network.

For more information please read the Introduction on page 2 of the PDF.