Draper et al1 have highlighted the variation across Europe in outcomes of very preterm infants. Specifically, at 24–27 weeks' gestation, mortality as a percentage of infants alive at start of labour varied from 41.5% to 80.5%, and at <24 weeks' gestation from 0% to 9.7%. There is no mention, however, of the potential for variation within regions.

We have recently audited the outcome for extremely preterm babies born alive within the city of Glasgow between 1 January 1998 and 31 December 2002. The …