Impact of late preterm birth on neonatal intensive care resources in a tertiary perinatal center.

OBJECTIVE: To examine delivery indications, short-term morbidities, and use of resources for late preterm infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at a tertiary perinatal center.

STUDY DESIGN: Data for 1137 inborn infants 340/7 to 366/7 weeks' gestational age discharged between July 2004 and December 2009 were collected from an electronic NICU database. Birth information was obtained from maternal charts.

RESULTS: Forty-two percent of late preterm infants were admitted to the NICU. Their mean ( ± standard deviation) birth weight was 2347 ± 569 g; 15.1% were small for gestational age, 35.5% were multiples, and 17.8% had an antenatally diagnosed anomaly. Most births (52%) occurred following spontaneous rupture of membranes or labor. Cesarean section rate was 56.8%. Mortality rate was 1.2%. Most frequent morbidities were transient tachypnea (18.8%), cardiac or other congenital anomaly (16.8%), and respiratory distress syndrome (7.4%). Although 41.5% received ventilatory support, duration was short (1.1 ± 3.1 days). Mean length of NICU stay was 8.1 ± 9.3 days with 38% transferred to community hospitals before discharge.

CONCLUSION: For many late preterm infants admitted to the NICU, the duration of intensive therapy was short and some required no interventions. One impact of late preterm birth was bed occupancy.