[Perinatal regional hotline organisation and rate of perinatal transfer. Results from 2003 and 2004 in the French Rhône-Alpes area: A two year study of 4079 transfers].
BACKGROUND
This study aims to describe the organization that was implemented at the Rhône-Alpes perinatal hotline, as well as to describe in utero transfer and neonate transport from an epidemiological point of view.


METHODS
A cohort study was performed between January 2003 and December 2004. Every in utero transfer and neonate transport was included. Transfers performed in 2003 were compared to transfers performed in 2004. Three endpoints were defined: the rate of in utero transfer (number of in utero transfers/number of in utero transfers + number of neonatal transfers), the rate of transfer toward level II units (number of transfers from level I to level II/number of transfers from level I to level II + number of transfers from level I to level III) as well as the rate of intra network transfer (number of intra network transfers/number of intra network transfers + number of extra network transfers).


RESULTS
In 2003, 865 in utero transfers (IUT) and 1297 neonate transports (NT) were performed, in 2004 848 IUT and 1069 NT were performed. The rate of in utero transfer significantly increased from 40 to 44.2% in 2004 (865/2162 versus 848/1917, p = 0.007). The rate of transfer toward level II units increased for the mothers from 31.8% to 36.9% (177/557 versus 174/471, p = 0.09) and significantly increased for the neonates from 43.2 to 51.6% in 2004 (335/775 versus 327/633, p = 0.002). Finally the rate of intra network transfer has not significantly changed: for the IUT it decreased from 87 to 86% (755/865 versus 732/848, p = 0.59) and for the NT from 91% to 90% (1179/1297 versus 963/1069, p = 0.45).


CONCLUSIONS
The organization that was implemented allows not only a safe 24 hour on call management of maternal transfers as well as neonate transport, but also a precise knowledge of epidemiologic indications relative to perinatal transfer.
Dupuis
O
O
Cellule Régionale des transferts périnatals, Hôpital Edouard-Herriot, place d'Arsonval, Lyon Cedex 03. olivier.dupuis@chu-lyon.fr
Gaucherand
P
P
Mellier
G
G
D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D015277:Hotlines / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases; D010360:Patient Transfer / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies