Prenatal consultation with a neonatologist prior to preterm delivery.

OBJECTIVE

Evaluate the usefulness of prenatal consultation with a neonatologist before preterm birth.

STUDY

DESIGN

A questionnaire was administered to mothers 1 week before home discharge of their preterm infant in a single regional level III neonatal intensive care unit.

RESULTS

Sixty-seven mothers completed the questionnaire; 84% indicated the consult was useful and 71% were comforted by the consult. However, mothers < 30 weeks' gestation were less likely to be comforted after the consult compared to those > or = 30 weeks. Most frequently, mothers indicated that they were provided with too little detail about retinopathy of prematurity and intraventricular hemorrhage.

CONCLUSIONS

Most mothers delivering a preterm infant describe the prenatal consultation with a neonatologist as useful. The majority of mothers are comforted by the information presented.