Baseline Characteristics and outcome of newborns.

Continuous data are expressed as median and interquartile range [IQR] and categorical data as number (%).
ELBW, extremely low birth weight born before 28 wks of gestational age; VLBW, very low birth weight born between 28 and 32 wks of gestational age, WBC, white blood cell; IVH, intraventricular haemorrhage. †, WBC count was performed in term newborn if there was an infectious risk at delivery (WBC count performed in ELBW, N = 13; VLBW, N = 24; and in term newborns, N = 8). Four premature infants (ELBW, N = 3; VLBW, N = 1) did not receive pulmonary maturation with antenatal corticosteroid therapy.