@article {TottmanF277, author = {Anna C Tottman and Jane M Alsweiler and Frank H Bloomfield and Jane E Harding}, editor = {,}, title = {Presence and pattern of scarring in children born very preterm}, volume = {103}, number = {3}, pages = {F277--F279}, year = {2018}, doi = {10.1136/archdischild-2016-311999}, publisher = {BMJ Publishing Group}, abstract = {The long-term scarring burden of preterm infants undergoing modern neonatal intensive care is not known. This observational cohort study aimed to document the presence and pattern of scarring in children born \<30 weeks{\textquoteright} gestation or \<1500 g birth weight and cared for at the National Women{\textquoteright}s Health neonatal intensive care unit, Auckland, New Zealand. Children were examined at 7 years{\textquoteright} corrected age and the presence, size, number and distribution of scars documented. Scarring was seen in 90\% of 129 children assessed, with 81\% having multiple scars, 60\% having large scars (85\% of whom had no history of major neonatal surgery) and 75\% having more than one body area scarred. Scarring was more common in boys and in children of non-European ethnicity. Despite modern neonatal intensive care practices, children born very preterm are frequently and extensively scarred at school age.}, issn = {1359-2998}, URL = {https://fn.bmj.com/content/103/3/F277}, eprint = {https://fn.bmj.com/content/103/3/F277.full.pdf}, journal = {Archives of Disease in Childhood - Fetal and Neonatal Edition} }