Article Text
Abstract
Introduction Regionalization in perinatal care improved neonatal survival for 2 decades. Perinatal transport is known to be a bad prognostic factor for preterm neonates born in second level centres. No data exist for babies born in TCC who had to be transferred to other TTC. We evaluate short term clinical outcomes of preterm infants transferred between TCC.
Methods We retrospectively analysed all neonates aged ≤32 weeks gestation transferred before 6 h of life from the South Paris University Hospitals to another TCC. Transfer was due to organisational problems. Control group consisted of neonates born the month before or after the cases and matched for gestational age, birth weight and CRIB-II. Simple linear and logistic regressions were used for analysis.
Results We included 60 cases and 60 controls. The two groups were similar for basic clinical characteristics. No difference in clinical features (RDS, infection related respiratory failure, air leaks, hypotension) were present between the groups (Table 1). Early outcomes (IVH, periventricular leucomalacy, NEC, BPD and NICU stay) rates were not influenced by the transfer transport ((Table 1)
Conclusions Perinatal transfer for preterm babies born in a TCC is not a negative prognostic factor. It is conceivable that optimal care in delivery room is a keystone for better outcome.