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Methods of delivery and resuscitation of very‐low‐birthweight infants in Victoria: 1982‐1985
Author(s) -
Lumley Judith,
Kitchen William H.,
Roy R. Neil D.,
Yu Victor Y.H.,
Drew John H.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1990.tb125122.x
Subject(s) - medicine , resuscitation , birth weight , caesarean delivery , pediatrics , low birth weight , obstetrics , caesarean section , infant mortality , pregnancy , population , emergency medicine , genetics , environmental health , biology
This article describes the patterns of delivery and resuscitation for very‐low‐birthweight infants who were born in Victoria from 1982 to 1985. Caesarean delivery rates increased from 15% to 30% for infants of birthweights of 500–999 g, and from 39% to 52% for infants of birthweights of 1000–1499 g. In level‐III hospitals, the proportion of live‐born infants who did not receive active resuscitation fell from 32% to 18% for those who weighed 500–999 g, and from 28% to 15% for those who weighed 1000–1499 g. Time trends over the four years showed the management of very‐low‐birthweight infants to be in a state of rapid transition in all birth settings. At the same time there was a fall in the still‐birth rate of infants of birthweights of 500–999 g. Still‐births rates for infants of birthweights of 1000–1499 g remained unchanged, as did neonatal mortality rates in both weight groups.