Does lack of routine postnatal examination on maternity unit increase the risk of hospital admission in the first week of life?
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to establish whether omitting routine postnatal examination on maternity units increases the risk of hospitalisation in the first week of life of the newborn.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis of maternal and baby details and paediatric admission data spanning 12 months in the setting of two maternity units and children's admission unit (CAU) at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, UK looking at all live-born babies not admitted to neonatal units (n = 7,058).


METHODS
For babies within first week of life, main outcome measures are: (1) risk of the need to be assessed on CAU and (2) risk of hospitalisation for 48 h.


RESULTS
Babies who had routine postnatal examination on maternity unit (n = 3,631) and babies who had no such examination (n = 3,427) had similar risks of the need to be seen on CAU (3% and 2.4%, respectively; p = 0.057) and of hospitalisation for 48 h (0.82% and 0.67%, respectively; p = 0.22). Babies born to first-time mothers and/or premature were more likely to have postnatal examination on the maternity unit and were at a higher risk of hospitalisation in the first week of life.


CONCLUSIONS
With prudent selection and extended surveillance of at-risk babies, lack of routine postnatal examination on maternity unit did not increase the risks of hospital review or admission in the first week of life. Worryingly, however, as many as 27% of all babies might not have had routine postnatal examination at all.
Abelian
Arthur
A
Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, Leeds General Infirmary, Great George Street, Leeds LS1 3EX, UK. abelartur@doctors.org.uk
Turner
Jim
J
Cusack
Jonathan
J
D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006771:Hospitals, Maternity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007239:Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008430:Maternal-Child Health Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000639:trends*; D010808:Physical Examination; D011181:Postnatal Care / Q000379:methods*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology