Early hospital discharge and early puerperal complications.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the association between time of postpartum discharge and symptoms indicative of complications during the first postpartum week.


METHODS
Women with vaginal delivery at a Mexico City public hospital, without complications before the hospital discharge, were interviewed seven days after delivery. Time of postpartum discharge was classified as early (<24 hours) or late (>25 hours). The dependent variable was defined as the occurrence and severity of puerperal complication symptoms.


RESULTS
Out of 303 women, 208 (68%) were discharged early. However, women with early discharge and satisfactory prenatal care had lower odds of presenting symptoms in early puerperium than women without early discharge and inadequate prenatal care (OR 0.36; 95% confidence intervals = 0.17-0.76).


CONCLUSIONS
There was no association between early discharge and symptoms of complications during the first postpartum week; the odds of complications were lower for mothers with early discharge and satisfactory prenatal care.
Ramírez-Villalobos
Dolores
D
Centro de Investigación en Salud Poblacional, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, 62508 Cuernavaca, Morelos, México. mdolores@correo.insp.mx
Hernández-Garduño
Adolfo
A
Salinas
Aarón
A
González
Dolores
D
Walker
Dilys
D
Rojo-Herrera
Guadalupe
G
Hernández-Prado
Bernardo
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult