Which information will be given to parents of preterm infants – a comparison of estimates and local data
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Mario Rüdiger
Abstract
Objective: Parents of preterm infants require information on morbidity and duration of common interventions performed in the NICU. Since locally achieved data are often not available, information is mainly based on educated guesses of health care professionals. The present study compares estimates of neonatal nurses or medical doctors (MDs) in two separate NICUs with local data.
Methods: Health care professionals were asked to estimate morbidity and duration of medical interventions of two groups of very low birth weight infants. For comparison, local data were obtained from infant charts and the Vermont Oxford Neonatal Network data base.
Results: Incidence of BPD was underestimated by MDs and overestimated by nurses for low birth weight group (500–750 g) and overestimated by nurses for 1250– 1500 g infants. Incidence of IVH was significantly overestimated by nurses for both groups. Duration of ventilatory support was underestimated for infants of a gestational age of 24–27 weeks and overestimated for the age group of 31–32 weeks. Length of stay in NICU was underestimated for infants at gestational age of 24–27 weeks, but not for the 32–33 weeks group.
Conclusions: Information based on estimates made by health care professionals may be misleading. Data differ significantly among different NICUs, thus, local data should be obtained by each NICU and used to inform parents appropriately.
©2007 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin New York
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Articles in the same Issue
- Intrauterine growth restriction and risk for arterial hypertension: a causal relationship?
- Clinical-radiological features of fractures in premature infants – a review
- Scientific and religious controversies about the beginning of human life: the relevance of the ethical concept of the fetus as a patient
- The status of the embryo in Buddhism: opinions on scientific and religious controversies about the beginning of human life
- The calcium binding protein, S100B, is increased in the amniotic fluid of women with intra-amniotic infection/inflammation and preterm labor with intact or ruptured membranes
- Validity of amniotic fluid index in preterm rupture of membranes
- Activity of adenosine deaminase in mothers who have conceived a fetus with central nervous system malformations
- Ductus venosus Doppler measurement during labor
- Fetal scalp pH and ST analysis of the fetal ECG as an adjunct to cardiotocography to predict fetal acidosis in labor / A multi-center, case controlled study
- Comparison of two- and three-dimensional ultrasonography in lung volume measurement of normal fetuses
- MRI and multiplanar 3D ultrasound compared in the prenatal assessment of enlarged posterior fossa
- Monochorionic twins in which at least one fetus has a congenital heart disease with or without twin-twin transfusion syndrome
- Enriched post-discharge formula versus term formula for bone strength in very low birth weight infants: a longitudinal pilot study
- Which information will be given to parents of preterm infants – a comparison of estimates and local data
- Intestinal trefoil factor in treatment of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis in the rat model
- Impact of being small-for-gestational age on survival and long-term outcome of extremely premature infants born at 23–27 weeks' gestation
- Gastroschisis: brief early history
- Reply
- Congress Calendar
