Objective:

To assess association between late-preterm birth and use of referral health services in the first year of life.

Methods:

This was a prospective cohort study, with data collected from infants at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months old. Maternal and birth characteristics were compared between full-term and late preterm infants. The effect of late preterm birth on the use of specialized outpatient clinic, emergency room/emergency care center, hospitalizations and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions was evaluated by calculating adjusted odds ratios.

Results:

41 late preterm and 540 full-term infants differed as to frequency of low birth weight and in not staying in joint accommodation, both of which were higher in late-preterm infants, who were also more likely to be admitted to the neonatal ICU (OR=6.85 - 95%CI 2.56;18.34). Late preterm birth was not associated with the use of other referral health services.

Conclusion:

late preterm birth was not associated with greater use of referral health services after discharge from maternity hospital.

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