Comparing Healthcare Needs in Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants With NEC and Spontaneous Intestinal Perforation

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and spontaneous intestinal perforation (SIP) affect 6–8% of extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants. SIP has lower mortality than NEC, but with similar short-term morbidity in length of stay, growth failure, and supplemental oxygen requirements. Comparative long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes have not been clarified.