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Parental religious affiliation and survival of premature infants with severe intraventricular hemorrhage

Journal of Perinatology volume 28, pages 361–367 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To evaluate the association between parents' ethnic/religious affiliation (secular Jewish, religious Jewish, ultra-orthodox Jewish, Muslim Arabs) and survival of premature infants with severe intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH).

Study Design:

Survival of 102 infants (birth weight⩽1500 g) born at the Hadassah hospitals in Jerusalem from 1 January 1996 through 31 December 2005, who sustained severe IVH and who survived over 48 h, was assessed in relation to their parents' ethnic/religious affiliation and accounting for relevant clinical and demographic variables.

Result:

There were 38 cases of demise among 72 infants with IVH grade IV (52.8%), and 4 among 30 infants with IVH grade III (13.3%). In a multivariate logistic regression analysis accounting for relevant perinatal variables, the odds for mortality compared to the reference Arab group was significantly lower only with regard to ultra-orthodox patients (odds ratio, OR=0.06; 95% confidential interval, CI=0.00 to 0.80; P=0.033). In a logistic and in the Cox stepwise regression analyses with religion as forced in variable, comparing infants with IVH grade IV of religious and ultra-orthodox Jewish families with those of secular Jewish families, the OR/hazard ratio (HR) for mortality were OR=0.10; 95% CI=0.01 to 0.06; P=0.017, and HR=0.37; 95% CI=0.16 to 0.85; P=0.019, respectively. No significant difference between the groups was demonstrated when infants with IVH grade III were analyzed apart.

Conclusion:

Parental religious affiliation may be influential on the outcome of premature infants with severe brain damage.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neonatology, Hadassah—Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel

    I Arad & D Netzer

  2. Center for Safety and Quality, Hadassah—Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel

    R Braunstein

Authors
  1. I Arad
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  2. R Braunstein
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  3. D Netzer
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Correspondence to I Arad.

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Arad, I., Braunstein, R. & Netzer, D. Parental religious affiliation and survival of premature infants with severe intraventricular hemorrhage. J Perinatol 28, 361–367 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2008.12

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