Table 1

Incidence (per 100 births) for conditions and procedures indicative of neonatal morbidity

ComponentIncidence before first hospital discharge in HES (%), by gestational age group*Incidence before first hospital discharge (%) reported by Lain et al 8 by gestational age groupDecision to include in
E-NAOI
24–33 weeks
(n=8280)
34–36 weeks
(n=25 272)
37–43 weeks
(n=4 50 455)
24–33 weeks
(n=9352)
34–36 weeks
(n=24 934)
37–43 weeks
(n=4 82 489)
Diagnosis
 Birth weight <1500 g44.180.850.0143.740.930.01Included – comparable with Lain et al. 8
 Gestational age <32 completed weeks51.93N/AN/AN/AIncluded – comparable with published incidence.15
 Neonatal death within 28 days (includes deaths after 28 days if the infant was never discharged home)5.400.410.077.490.470.07Included - comparable with Lain et al and published UK incidence.3 8
 Respiratory distress syndrome55.748.800.6249.047.640.51Included – comparable with Lain et al.8
 Seizure0.990.250.141.470.390.16Included – comparable with Lain et al and published UK incidence.8 21
 Intraventricular haemorrhage (grades 3 and 4)2.190.020.002.650.050.00Included – comparable with Lain et al. 8
 Cerebral infarction0.130.020.01N/AIncluded – comparable with published UK incidence.21
 Periventricular leukomalacia0.750.010.00N/AIncluded – comparable with published UK incidence.21
 Birth trauma (intracranial haemorrhage paralysis due to brachial plexus injury, skull or long bone fracture)0.250.090.070.330.080.09Included – comparable with Lain et al. 8
 Hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy1.230.340.190.390.170.07Included – comparable with published UK incidence.21 22
 Necrotising enterocolitis5.360.200.012.930.140.01Included – comparable with Lain et al.8
 Bronchopulmonary dysplasia7.870.030.006.080.030.00Excluded – a wider category capturing all chronic respiratory disease included instead.
 Sepsis/septicaemia (Streptococcus Staphylococcus, Escherichia coli, unspecified Gram negative)10.080.900.2110.881.520.30Included - comparable with Lain and published UK incidence.8 23
 Pneumonia2.450.560.182.150.360.11Included – comparable with Lain.8
 Other respiratory (primary atelectasis and respiratory failure)2.360.210.08N/AIncluded.
 Chronic respiratory disease originating in the perinatal period13.890.070.01N/ANewly added diagnosis.
 Bacterial meningitis0.740.090.04N/ANewly added diagnosis – comparable with published UK incidence.24
Procedure
 Resuscitation (intubation and/or chest compression)14.871.050.3021.111.540.47Included – comparable with Lain et al. 8
 Ventilatory support (mechanical ventilation/CPAP/high flow nasal cannulae)70.5213.991.8257.037.130.66Included – higher than Lain et al but not implausible.
 Central venous or arterial catheter30.622.450.3534.123.830.34Included – comparable with Lain et al. 8
 Pneumothorax requiring intercostal catheter3.570.670.181.870.330.04Included – higher than Lain et al but not implausible.
 Any intravenous fluids2.081.350.2946.648.870.95Included – lower than Lain et al. Suggests undercoding.
 Transfusion of blood or blood products0.470.110.0218.080.860.10Excluded – Much lower than Lain et al and published literature.
 Any body cavity surgical procedure7.931.490.244.561.010.19Included – comparable with Lain et al. 8
 Therapeutic hypothermia0.020.240.10N/ANewly added procedure – comparable with published UK incidence.25
Composite
 Any diagnoses or procedure84.5720.133.1081.8818.322.40
  • *Gestational age categories were selected to allow comparison with the figures reported by Lain et al.

  • CPAP, continuous positive airway pressure; E-NAOI, English-version neonatal adverse outcome indicator; HES, Hospital Episode Statistics.