title: Impact of late preterm birth on neonatal intensive care resources in a tertiary perinatal center.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine delivery indications, short-term morbidities, and use of resources for late preterm infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at a tertiary perinatal center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data for 1137 inborn infants 340/7 to 366/7 weeks' gestational age discharged between July 2004 and December 2009 were collected from an electronic NICU database. Birth information was obtained from maternal charts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-two percent of late preterm infants were admitted to the NICU. Their mean ( ± standard deviation) birth weight was 2347 ± 569 g; 15.1% were small for gestational age, 35.5% were multiples, and 17.8% had an antenatally diagnosed anomaly. Most births (52%) occurred following spontaneous rupture of membranes or labor. Cesarean section rate was 56.8%. Mortality rate was 1.2%. Most frequent morbidities were transient tachypnea (18.8%), cardiac or other congenital anomaly (16.8%), and respiratory distress syndrome (7.4%). Although 41.5% received ventilatory support, duration was short (1.1 ± 3.1 days). Mean length of NICU stay was 8.1 ± 9.3 days with 38% transferred to community hospitals before discharge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For many late preterm infants admitted to the NICU, the duration of intensive therapy was short and some required no interventions. One impact of late preterm birth was bed occupancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X5. ajefferies@mtsinai.on.ca
authors.forename: Ann L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Jefferies
authors.forename: Elliot R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Lyons
authors.forename: Prakesh S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Vibhuti
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Shah
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001509:Bed Occupancy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D045422:Continuous Positive Airway Pressure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005322:Premature Rupture of Fetal Membranes / Q000628:therapy; D005865:Gestational Age; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D059246:Tachypnea / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data