Acoustic Conditions in NICUs: Influence on Neonatal Outcome in very Preterm Neonates?

Survival rates in extremely low birth weight infants have been increasing during the past decades; however, this apparent progress is actually slowing 7 14. A major goal of neonatal intensive care is - apart from improving survival rate, especially in the most immature infants-to improve neurologic outcome on long-term. Thus, numerous attempts have been made in the past in order to improve long-term outcome. These trials were primary focused on reduction of neurologic devastating complications, such as intraventricular hemorrhage, periventricular leukomalacia, and sepsis, respectively necrotizing enterocolitis 15.