[Neonatal care in a primary health care center]

Small Madrid community hospitals (less than 100 deliveries annually) were the site of approximately 14% of the hospital births in 1990. The quality and quantity of services provided by our unit, considered to be of the first of primary level, are presented. The study period was 2.5 years long and 1,339 newborns were attended. The mean stay in the neonatal unit was 4.44 days (+/- 3.8 days). The cesarean section rate was 17%. The incidence of newborns with a weight less than 2,000 g was 1.5%, while those with a weight of more than 4,000 g was 5.47%. Almost 25% of the newborns were transferred to the neonatal ward and 1.79% were transferred to a third level hospital (neonatal intensive care), where three of them died. The mortality rate in our hospital was null. With rational guidelines, the primary centers can provide valuable services in a community perinatal care system.