Karla Damus

Cost of Hospitalization for Preterm and Low Birth Weight Infants in the United States

OBJECTIVE. The objective of this study was to estimate national hospital costs for infant admissions that are associated with preterm birth/low birth weight. METHODS. Infant (<1 year) hospital discharge data, including delivery, transfers, and readmissions, were analyzed by using the 2001 Nationwide Inpatient Sample from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project. The Nationwide Inpatient Sample is a 20% sample of US hospitals weighted to approximately >35 million hospital discharges nationwide. Hospital costs, based on weighted cost-to-charge ratios, and lengths of stay were calculated for preterm/low birth weight infants, uncomplicated newborns, and all other infant hospitalizations and assessed by degree of prematurity, major complications, and expected payer. RESULTS. In 2001, 8% (384200) of all 4.6 million infant stays nationwide included a diagnosis of preterm birth/low birth weight. Costs for these preterm/low birth weight admissions totaled

The changing epidemiology of multiple births in the United States

5.8 billion, representing 47% of the costs for all infant hospitalizations and 27% for all pediatric stays. Preterm/low birth weight infant stays averaged

Estimated effect of 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate on preterm birth in the United States

15100, with a mean length of stay of 12.9 days versus

The Relationship Between Cesarean Delivery and Gestational Age Among US Singleton Births

600 and 1.9 days for uncomplicated newborns. Costs were highest for extremely preterm infants (<28 weeks’ gestation/birth weight <1000 g), averaging

Risk Factors Associated with Immobility

65600, and for specific respiratory-related complications. However, two thirds of total hospitalization costs for preterm birth/low birth weight were for the substantial number of infants who were not extremely preterm. Of all preterm/low birth weight infant stays, 50% identified private/commercial insurance as the expected payer, and 42% designated Medicaid. CONCLUSIONS. Costs per infant hospitalization were highest for extremely preterm infants, although the larger number of moderately preterm/low birth weight infants contributed more to the overall costs. Preterm/low birth weight infants in the United States account for half of infant hospitalization costs and one quarter of pediatric costs, suggesting that major infant and pediatric cost savings could be realized by preventing preterm birth.

The application of uterine and umbilical artery velocimetry to the antenatal supervision of pregnancies complicated by maternal sickle hemoglobinopathies

OBJECTIVE: To describe changes in the epidemiology of multiple births in the United States from 1980 to 1999 by race, maternal age, and region; and to examine the impact of these changes on birth weight‐specific infant mortality rates for singleton and multiple births. METHODS: Retrospective univariate and multivariable analyses were conducted using vital statistics data from the National Center for Health Statistics. RESULTS: Between 1980 and 1999, the overall multiple birth ratio increased 59% (from 19.3 to 30.7 multiple births per 1000 live births, P < .001), with rates among whites increasing more rapidly than among blacks. Women of advanced maternal age, especially those aged 30‐34, 3539, and 40‐44 experienced the greatest increases (62%, 81%, and 110%, respectively). Although all regions of the United States experienced increases in multiple birth ratios between 1991 and 1999, the Northeast had the highest twin (33.9 per 1000 live births) and higher order birth ratios (280.5 per 100,000 live births), even after adjusting for maternal age and race. Between 1989 and 1999, multiple births experienced greater declines in infant mortality than singletons in all birth weight categories. Consequently, very low birth weight and moderately low birth weight infant mortality rates among multiples were lower than among singletons. CONCLUSION: It is important to understand the changing epidemiology of multiple births, especially for women at highest risk (advanced maternal age, white race, Northeast residents). The attribution of infertility management requires further study. The differential birth weight‐specific infant mortality for singletons and multiples demonstrates the importance of stratifying by plurality when assessing perinatal outcomes. (Obstet Gynecol 2003;101:129‐35.

Reducing Preconception Risks Among African American Women with Conversational Agent Technology

OBJECTIVE: A multicenter, randomized placebo-controlled trial among women with singleton pregnancies and a history of spontaneous preterm birth found that weekly injections of 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17P), initiated between 16 and 20 weeks of gestation, reduced preterm birth by 33%. The current study estimated both preterm birth recurrence and the potential reduction in the national preterm birth rate. METHODS: Using 2002 national birth certificate data, augmented by vital statistics from 2 states, we estimated the number of singleton births delivered to women eligible for 17P through both a history of spontaneous preterm birth and prenatal care onset within the first 4 months of pregnancy. The number and rate of recurrent spontaneous preterm births were estimated. To predict effect, the reported 33% reduction in spontaneous preterm birth attributed to 17P therapy was applied to these estimates. RESULTS: In 2002, approximately 30,000 recurrent preterm births occurred to women eligible for 17P, having had a recurrent preterm birth rate of 22.5%. If 17P therapy were delivered to these women, nearly 10,000 spontaneous preterm births would have been prevented, thereby reducing the overall United States preterm birth rate by approximately 2%, from 12.1% to 11.8% (P < .001), with higher reductions in targeted groups of eligible pregnant women. CONCLUSION: Use of 17P could reduce preterm birth among eligible women, but would likely have a modest effect on the national preterm birth rate. Additional research is urgently needed to identify other populations who might benefit from 17P, evaluate new methods for early detection of women at risk, and develop additional prevention strategies. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III

The future of preconception care in the United States: multigenerational impact on reproductive outcomes

The increasing trend of delivering at earlier gestational ages has raised concerns of the impact on maternal and infant health. The delicate balance of the risks and benefits associated with continuing a pregnancy versus delivering early remains challenging. Among singleton live births in the United States, the proportion of preterm births increased from 9.7% to 10.7% between 1996 and 2004. The increase in singleton preterm births occurred primarily among those delivered by cesarean section, with the largest percentage increase in late preterm births. For all maternal racial/ethnic groups, singleton cesarean section rates increased for each gestational age group. Singleton cesarean section rates for non-Hispanic black women increased at a faster pace among all preterm gestational age groups compared with non-Hispanic white and Hispanic women. Further research is needed to understand the underlying reasons for the increase in cesarean section deliveries resulting in preterm birth.

The urban community as the client in preterm birth prevention: Evaluation of a program component

In nursing homes, immobility and related complications are major problems with profound health care and financial implications. We conducted a retrospective study to identify risk factors associated with immobility. We compared factors in 34 nonambulatory residents with those in 12 independent ambulatory residents who served as controls. Factors associated with immobility included contractures, severe dementia, poor vision, and history of hip /leg fractures. Factors not associated with immobility included age, osteoarthritis, mild to moderate dementia, weight gain, and broad categories of selected medications. The immobile patients were further analyzed by sub‐grouping into those with and without contractures. Contractures were significantly associated with severe dementia. The finding that immobility was not identified on problem lists for 85% (29) of the immobile residents and that for 29% (10) reasons for immobility could not be ascertained suggest that immobility is frequently not documented as a major problem in medical records nor adequately evaluated.

Leadership Development Program for Nurses at a Health Care for the Homeless Program: An Educational Intervention

To assess the efficacy of Doppler flow velocimetry in predicting fetal compromise and neonatal outcome in pregnant women with sickle cell hemoglobinopathies, a prospective study was conducted of 96 patients, 48 with sickle cell hemoglobinopathy (8 with SS and 40 with AS hemoglobin) and 48 low-risk AA hemoglobin controls. All subjects were followed biweekly from the third trimester of pregnancy through delivery with uterine and umbilical artery velocimetry, nonstress, tests, and hematocrit and blood pressure measurements. An abnormal systolic/diastolic ratio was defined as a value greater than or equal to 3. The incidence of abnormal systolic/diastolic ratios for uterine or umbilical arteries was significantly higher in pregnant women with SS hemoglobin (88%) when compared with patients with AS (7%) and AA (4%) hemoglobin. In addition, the abnormal systolic/diastolic ratios for both umbilical and uterine arteries are correlated with abnormal nonstress test results. The nonstress test results became abnormal on average 3 weeks after the systolic/diastolic ratios did. The presence of abnormal systolic/diastolic ratios for umbilical and uterine arteries is predictive of fetal distress and infants small for gestational age. The high incidence of concordant uterine and umbilical artery abnormal systolic/diastolic ratios in pregnant women with SS hemoglobinopathy, which were identified earlier than were abnormal nonstress results, suggests an important parameter in the monitoring of these high-risk pregnancies.