Healthcare Costs and Main Characteristics of Childbirth and Neonatal Inpatient Care From the Brazilian Public Health System Perspective.

OBJECTIVES

Although the Brazilian public health system is one of the largest public healthcare systems in the world, healthcare cost estimations for childbirth and neonatal inpatient care in Brazil remain unknown. We estimated the costs of neonatal and childbirth inpatient care in Brazil between 2011 and 2022.

METHODS

This population-based descriptive study used secondary nationwide data from the hospitalization system of the public health system in Brazil. Inpatient care records for newborns (0 to 27 days of life) and mothers hospitalized for childbirth procedures were included. Costs were adjusted for inflation and presented in Brazilian reais (R$) and international dollars (Int$).

RESULTS

The direct healthcare cost of hospital admissions for childbirth and newborns between 2011 and 2022 was approximately R$37.6 billion (Int$15.4 billion). Cesarean sections accounted for most of the childbirth expenses. The most prevalent neonatal health condition was the neonatal jaundice, and prematurity accounted for most of neonatal inpatient care costs. The overall maternal and neonatal in-hospital mortality were 29.7 per 100 000 and 43.2 per 1000 inpatient records.

CONCLUSIONS

Childbirth and neonatal hospital healthcare costs represents about 14.6% of all inpatient care costs in the country in the period. Cesarean sections procedures and the diagnosis of prematurity stood out with high costs. Maternal and neonatal in-hospital mortality rates were high, especially in regions of socioeconomic vulnerability.