Evolution of place of delivery and selected medical practices for very preterm births between 1997 and 2003 by gestational age group and level of care
| Live births 24–31 weeks' gestational age | Live births 24–27 weeks' gestational age | Live births 28–31 weeks' gestational age | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 2003 | 1997 | 2003 | 1997 | 2003 | ||||
| N=488 | N=580 | p Value | N=137 | N=159 | p Value | N=351 | N=421 | p Value | |
| Medical practices | |||||||||
| Birth in level III unit (%) | 67.2 | 76.6 | 0.001 | 69.3 | 76.1 | 0.19 | 66.4 | 76.7 | 0.001 |
| Antenatal corticosteroids (%) | 79.7 | 86.9 | 0.002 | 74.6 | 78.4 | NS | 81.6 | 90.0 | 0.001 |
| Caesarean before labour (%) | 35.6 | 43.8 | 0.007 | 20.9 | 28.3 | 0.144 | 41.4 | 49.6 | 0.023 |
| Surfactant if admitted to neonatal unit (%) | 46.5 | 56.3 | 0.002 | 78.2 | 92.0 | 0.002 | 35.1 | 44.3 | 0.011 |
| Babies born in level III | N=328 | N=444 | N=95 | N=121 | N=233 | N=323 | |||
| Antenatal corticosteroids (%) | 85.4 | 94.0 | <0.001 | 82.0 | 87.8 | NS | 86.7 | 97.5 | <0.001 |
| Caesarean before labour (%) | 38.9 | 48.0 | 0.012 | 28.3 | 32.2 | NS | 43.1 | 53.9 | 0.012 |
| Surfactant if admitted to neonatal unit (%) | 45.8 | 54.0 | 0.028 | 78.2 | 90.8 | 0.013 | 33.0 | 41.3 | 0.051 |
| Babies born in level I/II | N=160 | N=136 | N=42 | N=38 | N=118 | N=98 | |||
| Antenatal corticosteroids (%) | 67.1 | 60.2 | NS | 56.8 | 45.5 | NS | 70.8 | 65.3 | NS |
| Caesarean before labour (%) | 28.8 | 30.2 | NS | 4.8 | 15.8 | 0.10 | 37.8 | 35.7 | NS |
| Surfactant if admitted to neonatal unit (%) | 47.9 | 64.0 | 0.008 | 78.1 | 96.6 | <0.01 | 39.3 | 54.2 | 0.032 |