OBJECTIVES: To examine the incidence and etiology of neurodevelopmental outcomes in very low birth weight preterm infants, maternal and perinatal risk factors, comorbidities, clinical picture and compare with newborns of the same gestational age who did not develop a neurodevelopmental disorder. STUDY DESIGN: A cross – sectional study with historical data. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: The research was conducted at the Pediatric Clinic in KBC Osijek. All newborns born in the period from 01. 01. 2018. to 31. 12. 2019. birth weight < 1 500 g and gestational age < 37 weeks are included in the research. The data were collected by reviewing medical records and the hospital's IT system: mothers demographic data, pregnancy data, newborns data, perinatal and neonatal risk factors, acute and chronic diseases and the occurrence of neurodevelopmental deviations at the age of three. RESULTS: In the observed period, 120 children birth weight < 1 500 g and gestational age < 37 weeks were born. Maternal and perinatal risk factors for premature birth include autoimmune diseases of the mother, infections during pregnancy and birth complications. Early complications that accompany premature babies with very low birth weight are RDS, ROP, NEC, IVH, sepsis, congenital heart defects and glucose metabolism disorder. Slowed motor, cognitive and speech development are mostly influenced by low body weight, higher degree of IVH, lower AS in the first minute and the presence of NEC. Significant risk factors for death are gestational age < 25 weeks, body weight < 800 g, infections in pregnancy and autoimmune diseases of the mother. CONCLUSION: The neurodevelopmental outcome of very low birth weight preterm infants depends on a combination of comorbidities, maternal, perinatal and neonatal risk factors.KEY