Introduction: Critically sick newborns requiring NICU admission are at high-risk of poor long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes. Family Centered Care (FCC) involves family of newborn in care inside NICU and has evidence of being developmentally supportive (1,2). Not much is known about long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes of NICU graduates receiving FCC. This study planned to document neurodevelopmental outcomes at one year in neonates receiving FCC.

Methods: The study was conducted at 14-bedded referral NICU providing FCC in a tertiary care hospital, North India. Study population: discharged high-risk newborns. Primary Objective: Documentation of incidence of developmental delay at 1 year ± 3 months of corrected age using Developmental Assessment Scales for Indian Infants. Secondary Objective: Documentation of hearing/visual impairment, motor/tone abnormalities, seizures, growth, sickness episodes requiring re-hospitalisation and post-discharge deaths. Follow up: at 3, 6, 9, 12 months.

Results: 92 babies were enrolled, with follow-up rate 82.6%. Five died, 11 were lost to follow-up. 76 were assessed at end of study period. 23.7% had developmental delay. Secondary outcomes are detailed in attached tables.

Conclusions/Discussion:  One-fourth of infants manifested adverse neuro-developmental outcomes. They also experienced morbidities requiring re-hospitalizations and growth restriction. Although no statistical comparison could be made, neurodevelopmental outcomes were better as compared to unpublished data from pre-FCC period and comparison to other similar studies (3-8). The present exploratory study suggests FCC may be beneficial for neurodevelopment. It  generates a hypothesis worth testing through good quality randomized trials.