RESUMEN
A clinical observation was performed on 2,122 cases of premature infants who were admitted to Ilsin Christian during the past 5 years from Jan. 1986 to Dec. 1990. The results were as follows; 1) The incidence of prematurity was 5.7%, overall mortality rate was 15.8%, and the sex ratio of male to female was 1.5:1. 2) Concomitant maternal diseases were premature rupture of membrane 457 cases (21.5%), preeclampsia & eclampsia 424 cases (19.9%), multiple pregnancy 250 cases (11.7%) etc, in the order of frequency. 3) Prematurity was most prevalent among multipara over 3. 4) Incidence of prematurity according to maternal age was frequent in woman more than 35 years old. 5) Mortality of prematurity was higher inversely propotional to birth weight & gestational age. 6) Main causes of death were IRDS 45 cases (43%), congenital anomaly 72 cases (21.6%), sepsis 31 cases (9.3%), and unknown 84 cases (25.0%). 7) Clinical problems were hyperbilirubinemia 38.9%, hypoglycemia 28.6%, IRDS 18%, sepsis & other infections 8.1% etc, in the order of frequency. 8) Most deaths were seen within first 24hr (74.5%).