Prehospital and emergency department delivery: a review of eight years experience.

We reviewed the medical records of all patients who delivered in the prehospital or emergency department setting from 1980 through 1987 at Hennepin County Medical Center. There were 80 deliveries. Twelve women had no prenatal care; the remaining 68 women had an average of seven prenatal visits. There were seven perinatal infant deaths, and an additional seven infants had morbidity subsequent to delivery. Twenty infants required some degree of resuscitation at the time of delivery, including 19 endotracheal intubations. Complications during delivery were numerous and included nuchal cord, breech presentation, shoulder dystocia, postpartum hemorrhage, pre-eclampsia, prolapsed cord, and meconium staining. Prehospital and ED delivery were associated with a high rate of maternal and infant complications.