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Perinatal regionalization as measured by antenatal referral
W F Powers1, P D Hegwood, Y S Kim
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Peoria.
Obstetrics and Gynecology
|March 1, 1988
Summary
The North Central Perinatal Region effectively regionalized care for very low birth weight infants. Most high-risk mothers were referred to specialized perinatal centers, indicating successful regionalization.
Area of Science:
- Perinatal Medicine
- Public Health
- Healthcare Regionalization
Background:
- Assessing the effectiveness of perinatal regionalization is crucial for optimizing high-risk infant care.
- The North Central Perinatal Region of Illinois serves a primarily rural population, presenting unique challenges for healthcare access and delivery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the extent of perinatal regionalization in the North Central Perinatal Region.
- To determine the rate of actual antenatal referrals to perinatal centers for high-risk pregnancies.
Main Methods:
- Review of maternal and infant records for very low birth weight infants (501-1500 g) born in 1985-1986.
- Analysis of realistic referral opportunities and actual antenatal referral occurrences for mothers expected to deliver at non-center hospitals.
Main Results:
- Seventy-one percent of mothers delivering very low birth weight infants at non-center hospitals could have been realistically referred to perinatal centers.
- Ninety-four percent of these realistic antenatal referrals were successfully completed in the region.
- In Peoria, 100% of realistic antenatal referrals for high-risk deliveries occurred.
Conclusions:
- The high rate of completed antenatal referrals suggests effective perinatal regionalization in the North Central Perinatal Region.
- The study highlights the importance of evaluating referral patterns to quantify the success of regionalized perinatal care.
- Other regions are encouraged to assess their perinatal care delivery models for high-risk pregnancies.