Morbidity and mortality of infants born before arrival at the hospital

Abstract

Recently, a number of infants have been born at home, in an ambulance, car, etc., before arrival at the District of Columbia General Hospital. Many of these infants had poor outcome. To evaluate the prevalence and outcome of these infants, we reviewed medical records of all infants born before arrival at the hospital (out-born infants) and compared them with in-hospital deliveries from July 1988 to June 1992. Data were analyzed using Fisher's Exact Test and chi-square test. There were 151 (1.8%) out-born infants and 8,169 (98.2%) in-born infants during this 4-year period. Infants in both groups were predominantly black (85%). The following were significant differences (P < 0.001) between out-born and in-hospital deliveries, respectively: illicit drug exposure 35% vs 21%; low-birth-weight (< 2,500 g) infants 39% vs 16%; intensive care unit admissions 29% vs 15%; and neonatal deaths per 1,000 live births 80 vs 7. We conclude that there is a twofold increase in the morbidity (required intensive care) and an 11-fold increase in the mortality among out-born infants compared with infants delivered in-hospital. Even though out-born infants were < 2% of the total deliveries, they accounted for 17% of total neonatal mortality.