Neonatal bed status in Brazilian maternity hospitals: an exploratory analysis

Neonatal units should be organized as a progressive care line, with intermediate and intensive care beds (conventional and kangaroo). The aim of this study was to evaluate the status and adequacy of neonatal beds in maternity hospitals linked to the 'Stork Network' ("Rede Cegonha"). A descriptive study was conducted in 606 maternity hospitals in all regions of Brazil. The databases used belonged to the Stork Network Evaluation Survey and the National Live Birth System. To assess the distribution of neonatal beds by typology, the parameters proposed in Ordinance N. 930/2012 of the Ministry of Health were used. Most neonatal units are not organized as a progressive care line with the three types of bed planned. Kangaroo intermediate care beds comprise the minority of implanted beds. There is a concentration of intensive and intermediate beds in the Southeast and South regions, which show a kangaroo intermediate care bed deficit. Analyzing the adequacy of beds by the number of live births, one can observe an inadequacy of Kangaroo care beds in all regions of Brazil, as well as intensive bed deficit in the North and Northeast regions, and adequacy of conventional intermediate care beds in all regions.