Hospitalizations during pregnancy among managed care enrollees.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the prevalence of hospitalizations during pregnancy, the reason for hospitalization, the length of stay, and the associated costs.


METHODS
We analyzed data from a national managed care organization and determined the occurrence of hospitalizations for 46,179 women who had a live birth or a pregnancy loss in 1997.


RESULTS
Overall, 8.7% of women were hospitalized during their pregnancy. Of these, 5.7% were hospitalized and discharged while pregnant, 0.8% experienced extended stays before a live birth or pregnancy loss, and 2.1% experienced pregnancy loss. Hospitalizations were more common among younger women, women with multiple gestations, and women in the northeastern United States. Women who had a live birth were primarily hospitalized for preterm labor (24%), hyperemesis (9%), hypertension (9%), kidney disorders (6%), and prolonged premature rupture of membranes (6%). Charges totaled over $36 million.


CONCLUSIONS
Antenatal hospitalizations are common.
Gazmararian
Julie A
JA
Emory Center on Health Outcomes and Quality, formerly the USQA Center for Health Care Research, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA. jagazma@sph.emory.edu
Petersen
Ruth
R
Jamieson
Denise J
DJ
Schild
Laura
L
Adams
Melissa M
MM
Deshpande
Anjali D
AD
Franks
Adele L
AL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007902:Length of Stay; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000191:economics*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012042:Registries; D014481:United States