title: Neonatal intensive care unit admissions and their associations with late preterm birth and maternal risk factors in a population-based study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the association of late preterm births (LPB [34(0/7)-36(6/7)]) and maternal risk factors with Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) admissions.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data of all who delivered between 2000 and 2008. Statistical analysis was done using Chi-square and multivariable logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the study period, 259,576 babies were delivered, and 11.6% were admitted to the NICU. Using logistic regression (NICU admission vs. no NICU admission), there was a 9-fold increased risk associated with preterm labor including preterm premature rupture membranes (PTL/PPROM) while LPB and essentially all other maternal risk factors were not significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our study, NICU admissions are more associated with PTL/PPROM rather than LPB and maternal risk factors.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA. cartermf@uthscsa.edu
authors: Margaret F
authors: MF
authors: Carter
authors: Elly
authors: E
authors: Xenakis
authors: Alan
authors: A
authors: Holden
authors: Donald
authors: D
authors: Dudley