Health care in the first year of life of a prospective cohort of late-preterm and full-term infants, in Botucatu, state of São Paulo, Brazil, 2015-2017.

OBJECTIVE

To assess association between late-preterm birth and use of referral health services in the first year of life.

METHODS

This was a prospective cohort study, with data collected from infants at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months old. Maternal and birth characteristics were compared between full-term and late preterm infants. The effect of late preterm birth on the use of specialized outpatient clinic, emergency room/emergency care center, hospitalizations and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions was evaluated by calculating adjusted odds ratios.

RESULTS

41 late preterm and 540 full-term infants differed as to frequency of low birth weight and in not staying in joint accommodation, both of which were higher in late-preterm infants, who were also more likely to be admitted to the neonatal ICU (OR=6.85 - 95%CI 2.56;18.34). Late preterm birth was not associated with the use of other referral health services.

CONCLUSION

late preterm birth was not associated with greater use of referral health services after discharge from maternity hospital.