|
1
|
Walther F, Kuester D, Bieber A, Malzahn J, Rüdiger M, Schmitt J. Are birth outcomes in low risk birth cohorts related to hospital birth volumes? A systematic review. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2021; 21:531. [PMID: 34315416 PMCID: PMC8314545 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-021-03988-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background There is convincing evidence that birth in hospitals with high birth volumes increases the chance of healthy survival in high-risk infants. However, it is unclear whether this is true also for low risk infants. The aim of this systematic review was to analyze effects of hospital’s birth volume on mortality, mode of delivery, readmissions, complications and subsequent developmental delays in all births or predefined low risk birth cohorts. The search strategy included EMBASE and Medline supplemented by citing and cited literature of included studies and expert panel highlighting additional literature, published between January/2000 and February/2020. We included studies which were published in English or German language reporting effects of birth volumes on mortality in term or all births in countries with neonatal mortality < 5/1000. We undertook a double-independent title-abstract- and full-text screening and extraction of study characteristics, critical appraisal and outcomes in a qualitative evidence synthesis. Results 13 retrospective studies with mostly acceptable quality were included. Heterogeneous volume-thresholds, risk adjustments, outcomes and populations hindered a meta-analysis. Qualitatively, four of six studies reported significantly higher perinatal mortality in lower birth volume hospitals. Volume-outcome effects on neonatal mortality (n = 7), stillbirths (n = 3), maternal mortality (n = 1), caesarean sections (n = 2), maternal (n = 1) and neonatal complications (n = 1) were inconclusive. Conclusion Analyzed studies indicate higher rates of perinatal mortality for low risk birth in hospitals with low birth volumes. Due to heterogeneity of studies, data synthesis was complicated and a meta-analysis was not possible. Therefore international core outcome sets should be defined and implemented in perinatal registries. Systematic review registration PROSPERO: CRD42018095289 Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12884-021-03988-y.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Felix Walther
- Center for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany. .,Quality and Medical Risk Management, University Hospital Carl, Gustav Carus, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Denise Kuester
- Center for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Anja Bieber
- Institute of Health and Nursing Science, Medical Faculty, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Postfach 302, 06097, Halle, Saale, Germany
| | - Jürgen Malzahn
- Federation of Local Health Insurance Funds, Clinical Care, Rosenthaler Str. 31, 10178, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mario Rüdiger
- Department for Neonatology and Pediatric Intensive Care, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany.,Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Saxony Center for Feto-Neonatal Health, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jochen Schmitt
- Center for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany.,Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Saxony Center for Feto-Neonatal Health, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| |
Collapse
|