Early postpartum discharge versus traditional length of stay: patient preferences.
BACKGROUND
Despite a vast body of literature on postpartum safety issues, little has been written about patients' preferences for hospitalized versus home-based support and reasons for those choices.


METHODS
A questionnaire was offered to obstetric patients at a prenatal class. Data were analyzed using chi-square analysis and logit modeling, searching for factors accounting for the patient's choice of discharge plan.


RESULTS
Neither demographic nor style-of-care variables affected patient choice significantly. Personal issues like comfort with child care were highly correlated, both individually and as a group, with choice of length of stay. Less than 25% of the group studied expressed a desire for early discharge.


CONCLUSIONS
Women with a high internal locus of control and/or distrust of the medical system expressed a desire for early postpartum discharge. Few women in our study exhibited those qualities; over 75% of those who had a preference wanted a longer period of hospitalization. Although our sample has both negative and positive skews in terms of other available social supports, it is a well-educated and economically well-supported group. We conclude that many women do not believe they would be ready to leave the hospital at less than 24 hours postpartum.
Reever
M M
MM
89th Medical Group, Andrews AFB, Md, USA.
Lyon
D S
DS
Mokhtarian
P L
PL
Ahmed
F
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D010351:Patient Discharge; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors