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Healthcare Costs and Main Characteristics of Childbirth and Neonatal Inpatient Care From the Brazilian Public Health
Julia Raffin Moura1, Emilie Batista Freire2, Henry Maia Peixoto3
1Postgraduate Programme in Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Ceilândia, University of Brasilia, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
Insights
Healthcare costs for childbirth and neonatal care in Brazil totaled R$37.6 billion from 2011-2022. Cesarean sections and prematurity were major cost drivers, with high maternal and neonatal mortality rates observed.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Health Economics
- Neonatal Care
Background:
- Brazil's public health system is extensive, yet specific cost data for childbirth and neonatal care were previously unknown.
- Understanding these costs is crucial for resource allocation and policy development within the Brazilian healthcare system.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the direct healthcare costs associated with childbirth and neonatal inpatient care in Brazil.
- To analyze cost drivers, including specific procedures and conditions, between 2011 and 2022.
Main Methods:
- A population-based descriptive study utilizing nationwide secondary data from Brazil's public health hospitalization system.
- Inclusion of inpatient records for newborns (0-27 days) and mothers hospitalized for childbirth.
- Cost data adjusted for inflation and presented in Brazilian reais (R$) and international dollars (Int$).
Main Results:
- Total direct healthcare costs for childbirth and newborns amounted to approximately R$37.6 billion (Int$15.4 billion) between 2011 and 2022.
- Cesarean sections represented the largest portion of childbirth expenses, while prematurity incurred the highest neonatal inpatient care costs.
- Overall in-hospital maternal and neonatal mortality rates were 29.7/100,000 and 43.2/1000, respectively.
Conclusions:
- Childbirth and neonatal care constituted approximately 14.6% of all inpatient costs in Brazil during the study period.
- Cesarean sections and prematurity emerged as significant cost contributors.
- High maternal and neonatal in-hospital mortality rates were noted, particularly in socioeconomically vulnerable regions.
Objectives:
Although the Brazilian public health system is one of the largest public healthcare systems in the world, healthcare cost estimations for childbirth and neonatal inpatient care in Brazil remain unknown. We estimated the costs of neonatal and childbirth inpatient care in Brazil between 2011 and 2022.
Methods:
This population-based descriptive study used secondary nationwide data from the hospitalization system of the public health system in Brazil. Inpatient care records for newborns (0 to 27 days of life) and mothers hospitalized for childbirth procedures were included. Costs were adjusted for inflation and presented in Brazilian reais (R$) and international dollars (Int$).
Results:
The direct healthcare cost of hospital admissions for childbirth and newborns between 2011 and 2022 was approximately R$37.6 billion (Int$15.4 billion). Cesarean sections accounted for most of the childbirth expenses. The most prevalent neonatal health condition was the neonatal jaundice, and prematurity accounted for most of neonatal inpatient care costs. The overall maternal and neonatal in-hospital mortality were 29.7 per 100 000 and 43.2 per 1000 inpatient records.
Conclusions:
Childbirth and neonatal hospital healthcare costs represents about 14.6% of all inpatient care costs in the country in the period. Cesarean sections procedures and the diagnosis of prematurity stood out with high costs. Maternal and neonatal in-hospital mortality rates were high, especially in regions of socioeconomic vulnerability.
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