Gestational Age-Specific Prevalence of Retinopathy of Prematurity in Very Preterm Infants: An Exploratory Meta-Analysis

Background: The prevalence of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is studied in populations defined by gestational age (GA) only, GA or birthweight (BW), and GA and BW. Aggregate differences in gestational age week-specific prevalence estimates are unknown. Methods: Literature search of publications between 1971 and 2024 and data extraction using predefined search terms and inclusion criteria. Results: ROP prevalence changes notably at around 28wks GA, decreasing appreciably at older gestational ages. Including BW alongside GA (as is done in some ROP screening guidelines) affects the variability of ROP prevalence data and may obscure the true population-level association between GA and ROP severity. Conclusion: Clinical study populations for ROP research should be defined by GA thresholds only without additional BW inclusion criteria.