Term neonates without perinatal asphyxia are not expected to have neurodevelopmental deviations during the first year of life. The acquisition and refinement of skills in these infants may be influenced not only by the Apgar score at birth but also by rearing practices, parental education, place of residence, gender, and maternal language.

To utilize a screening test to monitor neurodevelopmental progress during the first year of life in term neonates without perinatal asphyxia.

A study was conducted on 111 term neonates (57% males and 43% females) born at University Hospital Medica Ruse over one calendar year, with Apgar scores of 8-10 at the first minute. The Ages and Stages Questionnaires, Third Edition (ASQ-3) was employed as the screening tool. Assessments were performed at a mean age of 6.9±2.6 months via remote questionnaire completion.

The mean scores for the ASQ-3 domains were as follows: Communication: 50.9±10.0; Gross Motor: 50.9±11.6; Fine Motor: 53.1±6.0; Problem Solving: 54.4±6.9; Personal-Social: 49.0±10.1. Abnormal low scores were recorded in 16% of the infants, with half of these showing no deviations upon direct retesting. No significant differences in development were observed based on gender, place of residence, maternal education, or maternal language. Infants with an Apgar score of 8 at the first minute (Fine Motor (p=0.005)),birth weight <3000g (Fine Motor (p=0.027), Personal-Social (p=0.56)), and those born at 37-38 weeks of gestation (Communication (p=0.008) and Fine Motor (p=0.006)) exhibited statistically significant lower scores in certain developmental domains.

Lower birth weight, lower gestational age, and lower (albeit within the normal range) Apgar scores influence the neurodevelopmental outcomes of term neonates during the first year of life