Grant: Project Grant

Preterm birth, or birth before 37 weeks gestation, is increasingly common, occurring in 8% of pregnancies in Canada. Preterm birth is associated with many health complications, particularly when the birth happens before 29 weeks gestation. At this gestational age, the lungs are not fully developed and it is not uncommon for infants to have problems breathing at the time of birth. One complication that can arise is when an infant stops breathing and needs to be resuscitated. When preterm babies need to be resuscitated doctors must take special care because of the small infant size and the immaturity of the brain and lungs. Oxygen is used to resuscitate babies who need it, but unfortunately there is disagreement about the best oxygen concentration to use. Oxygen concentration is important because both too much and too little oxygen can cause brain injury. Our research aims to fill this knowledge gap by participating in an international clinical trial to compare the effects of resuscitating babies less than 29 weeks gestational age with either a low oxygen concentration or a high oxygen concentration. The oxygen concentrations have been selected using the best available knowledge. During the first 12 months of the clinical trial we will treat all babies less than 29 weeks gestation who need resuscitation with the oxygen concentration we are randomly assigned. After 12 months we will reassess and then in the next 12 months we will treat babies using the other oxygen concentration. After the trial we will determine whether the babies resuscitated with lower oxygen or those resuscitated with higher oxygen have better survival and long-term health outcomes. Our research fills a critical knowledge gap in the care of extremely preterm babies and will impact their survival both here in Canada and internationally.