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How safe is antenatal transfer between level 3 units?
T J Malpas1, J Meates, J Horwood
1Department of Paediatrics, Christchurch Hospital, New Zealand.
Summary
Antenatal transport of pregnant women between New Zealand
Area of Science:
- Perinatal Medicine
- Neonatal Care
- Maternal Health
Background:
- Lack of neonatal unit space necessitates inter-facility transfer.
- Antenatal transfer protocols aim to optimize outcomes for high-risk pregnancies.
- Evaluating the safety and efficacy of antenatal transfer is crucial for resource allocation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of antenatal transfer on maternal and infant well-being.
- To compare outcomes of neonates born after transfer versus those born at the primary center.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective case-controlled study design.
- Comparison of outcomes for 34 women transferred from Christchurch Women's Hospital (CWH) between 1991-1994 with women who delivered at CWH.
- Analysis included maternal demographics, labor characteristics, and neonatal outcomes.
Main Results:
- Transferred women had lower parity and were less likely to be in premature labor.
- No statistically significant differences in mortality, CRIB scores, or major neonatal morbidities (oxygen requirement, periventricular hemorrhage, retinopathy of prematurity, time to regain birth weight).
- A higher proportion of outborn infants were male.
Conclusions:
- Antenatal transfer appears to be a safe procedure regarding immediate neonatal outcomes.
- Further research is needed to explore the impact of social factors on transferred families.
- The study supports the safety of antenatal transfer in managing neonatal unit capacity constraints.