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Updated: May 6, 2026
Transcutaneous Microcirculatory Imaging in Preterm Neonates
Published on: December 31, 2015
Hospital readmissions and emergency department visits in moderate preterm, late preterm, and early term infants
Michael W Kuzniewicz1, Sarah-Jane Parker, Alina Schnake-Mahl
1Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, 2000 Broadway Avenue (2101 Webster Annex), Oakland, CA 94612, USA; Division of Neonatology, University of California, San Francisco, 505 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
Insights
Late preterm infants show higher risks, but this study also examined moderate preterm and early term infants. Analyzing readmissions and emergency visits helps understand infant health outcomes after birth hospitalization.
Area of Science:
- Neonatology
- Pediatric Health
- Infant Outcomes
Background:
- Late preterm infants (34-36 weeks) experience higher morbidity and mortality during birth hospitalization.
- Gestational age impacts infant health outcomes continuously.
- Understanding risks requires examining infants near the late preterm group.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate hospital readmissions and emergency department visits in infants >= 31 weeks' gestation within 30 days of discharge.
- To compare outcomes between late preterm, moderate preterm, and early term infants.
- To analyze the continuum of risk across gestational ages.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study.
- Analysis of large dataset of infants born at >= 31 weeks' gestation.
- Evaluation of 30-day post-discharge hospital readmissions and emergency department visits.
Main Results:
- Data on readmissions and ED visits for moderate preterm (31-32 weeks) and early term (37-38 weeks) infants were analyzed.
- Comparison of outcomes between gestational age groups was performed.
- Findings contribute to understanding the spectrum of infant vulnerability.
Conclusions:
- The study provides insights into the post-discharge healthcare utilization of infants across a spectrum of gestational ages.
- Findings highlight the importance of considering infants beyond the late preterm group for comprehensive neonatal care.
- Further research can inform targeted interventions for vulnerable infant populations.
Abstract:
The increased vulnerability of late preterm infants is no longer a novel concept in neonatology, with many studies documenting excess morbidity and mortality in these infants during the birth hospitalization. Because outcomes related to gestational age constitute a continuum, it is important to analyze data from the gestational age groups that bookend late preterm infants infants-moderate preterm infants (31-32 weeks) and early term infants (37-38 weeks). This article evaluates hospital readmissions and emergency department visits in the first 30 days after discharge from birth hospitalization in a large cohort of infants greater than or equal to 31 weeks' gestation.
