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The association between hospital obstetrical volume and maternal postpartum complications
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

The association between hospital obstetrical volume and maternal postpartum complications

Kathy L. Kyser, Xin Lu, Donna A. Santillan, Mark K. Santillan, Stephen K. Hunter, Alison G. Cahill and Peter Cram
American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, Vol.207(1), pp.42.e1-42.e17
07/01/2012
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2012.05.010
PMCID: PMC4362705
PMID: 22727347
url
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2012.05.010View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between delivery volume and maternal complications. STUDY DESIGN: We used administrative data to identify women who had been admitted for childbirth in 2006. Hospitals were stratified into deciles that were based on delivery volume. We compared composite complication rates across deciles. RESULTS: We evaluated 1,683,754 childbirths in 1045 hospitals. Decile 1 and 2 hospitals had significantly higher rates of composite complications than decile 10 (11.8% and 10.1% vs 8.5%, respectively; P < .0001). Decile 9 and 10 hospitals had modestly higher composite complications as compared with decile 6 (8.8% and 8.5% vs 7.6%, respectively; P < .0001). Sixty percent of decile 1 and 2 hospitals were located within 25 miles of the nearest greater volume hospital. CONCLUSION: Women who deliver at very low-volume hospitals have higher complication rates, as do women who deliver at exceedingly high-volume hospitals. Most women who deliver in extremely low-volume hospitals have a higher volume hospital located within 25 miles.
Life Sciences & Biomedicine Obstetrics & Gynecology Science & Technology

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