Abstract
Analysis of temporal patterns of birth and intensive care nursery (ICN) admissions facilitates investigation of perinatal practice and administration of service units. 2,758 consecutive admissions between 1/1/76 and 12/31/79 to the two tertiary ICNs in Vermont and New Hampshire were classified by month and weekday of admission. Mean birth weight and gestational age were similar by month and day. No monthly pattern other than chance distribution for admissions and mortality was detected. However, admissions were distributed by day of the week in a pattern which differed significantly (p=0.004) from chance. Inborns (local and maternal-fetal transports) also differed significantly (p=0.012); outborns (infant transports) did not.
Mortality rate by day of admission (not day of occurrence) does not differ significantly over the week (p=0.36). Length of stay was similar by weekday of admission. We speculate that these findings indicate that perinatal medical management is influencing day of birth of babies at risk for ICN admission without producing a negative effect on mortality.
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Little, G., Polivy, D., Klein, R. et al. 477 DAILY AND MONTHLY PATTERNS OF INTENSIVE CARE NURSERY ADMISSIONS. Pediatr Res 15 (Suppl 4), 520 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-00490
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-00490