Study of Referral Pattern of Sick Neonates To a Tertiary Care Center
Sahana Devadas, Gayathri Devi, Ananya Kavilapurapu
Abstract
Objective: To study the referral pattern of sick neonates to a tertiary care center
Materials and Methods: This prospective analytical study was conducted between March 2016 and August 2016 in 488 outborn referrals at a level-3 neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of a tertiary care center attached to a government medical college (Vanivilas Hospital attached to Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India).
Results: This study showed shortcomings in transportation of sick neonates in a stable condition, maintaining all parameters in the required range. There were a lot of setbacks in the referral letters and documentation was inadequate. Birth asphyxia, respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, and meconium aspiration syndrome were the commonly observed morbidities in neonates soon after birth.
Discussion: Improving the survival of low-birth-weight and preterm neonates is a daunting task in developing countries. Appropriate maintenance of thermoambient environment with equal importance being given to metabolic complications must be ensured during the transport of such neonates.
Conclusion: Factors such as proper promotion of institutional deliveries, adequate and timely referrals, prior intimation to the referral center, and early identification and prereferral stabilization with skilled accompaniment during transport can help reduce the neonatal comorbidities and death.
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