The Rehospitalization Rates of Low-Birth-Weight Infants in Isfahan Shahid Beheshti Hospital, Iran

Gradually over time, the number of premature deliveries has increased. In these circumstances, many neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) show a tendency towards early discharge due to frequent requests for admission of new premature newborns. In a descriptive-analytical study, we retrospectively surveyed the premature infants’ files for gestational age (GA), birth weight (BW), and the duration of the first hospitalization during 2010-2011. Furthermore, the readmission rate during the first year of life and causes were identified. During the study period, 495 infants were enrolled. The ranges of gestational age and birth weight of infants who were admitted in neonatal intensive care unit were 24-36 weeks and 470-2500 g, respectively. 172 (34.74%) infants had a birth weight of less than 1500 g (very low birth weight or VLBW); and 144 of them (29.09%) were severely premature (gestational age of 24-31 weeks). The median (range) time of hospitalization in VLBW infants was 22 days (1-75). 67 (15.3%) infants were rehospitalized during the first year of life. Only 32 (6.4%) of all infants were readmitted during the first three months of life. Pneumonia (32.89%), icter (17.10%), treatment of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) (10.52%) and sepsis (9.20%) were the four most common causes of rehospitalization during the first year of life. Due to the high rate of reception requests for premature newborns and the low possibility for readmission, this research suggested that premature neonates who could have controlled body temperature at room temperature, with no recent apnea or bradycardia and with weight increasing via feeding, could be discharged regardless of gestational age and body weight.