title: Emergency department visits and rehospitalizations in late preterm infants.
abstract: The number of late preterm newborns (gestational age 34 to 36 weeks) is increasing in the United States and Canada. The appearance of these newborns may give a false sense of security about their well-being to practitioners and parents alike. Neonatology literature has begun to address this issue; however, there is paucity of information regarding health concerns of these newborns after discharge from the nursery. The authors reviewed their experience in the emergency department (ED) of a large pediatric institution over a 1-year period, comparing morbidity in late preterm infants with term infants. Late preterm infants comprise a significant proportion of newborn visits to the ED. Certain problems occur more frequently in these infants, including the need for intensive care.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA. shabnam.jain@oz.ped.emory.edu
authors.forename: Shabnam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology