Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate retrospectively the late (34-36 gestational week) and moderate (32-33 gestational week) prematurity problems that are the significant causes of morbidity and mortality.

Materials and Methods: 208 late and moderately premature infants hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit of Derince Education and Research / Alikahya Hospital between October 2016 and October 2018 were included in this study. Preterm infants; maternal age, parity, maternal risk factors, gestational week, type of delivery, birth weight, neonatal period problems and reasons for hospitalization, mechanical ventilation requirements, hospitalization times were examined.

Results:208 infants were late preterm (50.4%) and 103 were moderate preterm (49.6%). When hospitalization indications studied, respiratory distress was detected in 176 (84%), neonatal infection in 12 (5.7%), neonatal hypoglycemia in 4 (1.9%) and the remaining patients with congenital anomaly, hyperbilirubinemia and asphyxia. In moderately premature babies, a statistically significant increase was observed in terms of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), need for surfactant, duration of continous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and supplemental oxygen application, time period until enteral feeding, reaching of the birthweight and hospital discharge when comparing with the late premature babies.

Conclusion: In concordance with the decrease in the gestational week, frequency rate of the problems due to prematurity increases. Respiratory distress is one of the important morbidity reasons requiring hospitalisation in premature babies.