Why we should care about full-term infants admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit

ABSTRACT This study aims to analyze why we should care about full-term newborns admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit. This is a documented, descriptive, and retrospective study of 262 full-term newborns. Variables used: newborns’ characteristics; main diagnosis, length of stay, follow-up by a multidisciplinary team; post-discharge referral. Most newborns were boys (52%), had a 5-minute Apgar score of nine, and most newborns and their mothers were white (61.1% and 48.9% respectively). Respiratory dysfunction was the main diagnosis (28.8%). Length of stay was eight days. There was a significant difference regarding length of stay (p=0.013), in which those with cardiorespiratory and other diseases stayed less time compared to those with malformation or maternal diseases. The social service was the most sought (81.2%) service, whereas physical therapy the least sought (18%). Newborns with higher weight were hospitalized for less time. Those that underwent physical therapy had longer stay (p<0.001). Main outcome was hospital discharge (68.7%) and referrals to the Basic Health Unit (57%). This study outcomes indicated newborns with less severe conditions, low number of specific studies for the full-term population, other diagnoses that refer to non-intensive care.