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Neonatal transport: the Waikato experience
1Newborn Unit, Waikato Women's Hospital, Hamilton.
The New Zealand Medical Journal
|March 9, 1988
Summary
The Waikato newborn transport service has provided essential neonatal care since 1980. While overall transports increased, emergency retrievals stabilized, with most deaths occurring before intervention.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Transport medicine
- Perinatal health services
Background:
- The Waikato newborn transport service was established in September 1980.
- Regionalized perinatal care aims to improve outcomes for newborns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the experience and outcomes of the Waikato newborn transport service from 1980 to 1986.
- To assess the trends in neonatal transports and emergency retrievals.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of transport records.
- Analysis of transport numbers, retrieval demands, and patient characteristics.
- Evaluation of mortality rates before and after retrieval.
Main Results:
- A total of 599 transports were completed, with 311 emergency retrievals.
- Transport numbers increased annually, but emergency retrieval demand plateaued.
- One-third of deaths occurred pre-retrieval; 10% of retrieved infants died, with few avoidable deaths.
Conclusions:
- The neonatal transport service is a vital component of regionalized perinatal care in Waikato.
- The characteristics of infants needing emergency retrieval remained consistent.
- Timely intervention is crucial, as a significant proportion of deaths occurred before transport could be initiated.