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Declining birth rates, increasing maternal age and neonatal intensive care unit admissions

Journal of Perinatology volume 44, pages 203–208 (2024)Cite this article

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Abstract

Objective

To describe the number of US births, maternal age at birth and NICU admissions by maternal age cohorts. Our study aims to measure NICU utilization by maternal age over time.

Study design

We queried the CDC WONDER Natality database for births, NICU admissions, and maternal age at delivery from 2016 to 2021. Births and NICU admissions were analyzed by maternal age.

Results

Between 2016 and 2021, US births decreased by 7% (3,945,875 to 3,664,292/year). NICU admissions increased from 344,454 to 351,775 (+2%) and admit rate from 8.7% to 9.6%. The proportion of births by maternal age declined each year for ≤29 y but increased for ≥30 y. NICU admission rates were lowest at maternal age 20–29 y and increased with age ≥30 y.

Conclusions

US NICUs have demonstrated a 2% increase in admissions despite a 7% decrease in births. Higher rates of NICU admissions among infants born at maternal age ≥30 y warrants investigation.

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Fig. 1: Change in annual total births, NICU admissions and NICU admit rate from 2016–21.
Fig. 2: Births by maternal age groups.
Fig. 3: Admissions to neonatal intensive care units (NICU) by maternal age.

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Data availability

All data included in this manuscript is publicly available from the CDC and related databases.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Vizient, Inc., Irving, TX, USA

    Rhae Ana Gamber, Heather Blonsky & Madeleine McDowell

  2. Department of Pediatrics, UC Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA

    Satyan Lakshminrusimha

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  1. Rhae Ana Gamber
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  2. Heather Blonsky
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  3. Madeleine McDowell
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  4. Satyan Lakshminrusimha
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Contributions

RAG: writing the first draft, revisions, creation of figures, approval of the final manuscript: HB: data collection, data analysis, revision and approval of the final version; MM: review, editing and approval of the final version; SL: concept, revision, manuscript writing, supervision and approval of the final version.

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Correspondence to Satyan Lakshminrusimha.

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Gamber, R.A., Blonsky, H., McDowell, M. et al. Declining birth rates, increasing maternal age and neonatal intensive care unit admissions. J Perinatol 44, 203–208 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-023-01834-x

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