FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH EARLY MATERNAL POSTPARTUM DISCHARGE FROM THE HOSPITAL

Objective: To examine if mothers discharged from the hospital after 1 night's stay or less (early discharge) differ from those discharged fr om the hospital after 2 or 3 nights' stay (regular discharge) in demog raphic, economic, behavioral, health status, and health services risk factors associated with maternal and infant well-being. Design: Bivari ate and logistic comparisons of women discharged from the hospital ear ly or after a regular hospitalization as reported in the 1988 National Maternal and Infant Health Survey. Participants: Postpartum women. Ma in Outcome Measure: Postpartum discharge from the hospital after 1 nig ht's stay or less in the hospital. Results: Early discharge from the h ospital occurred for 12.3% of 3 865 366 women. Logistic regression rev ealed 8 factors that were associated with early discharge from the hos pital: less than a high school education, aged older than 35 years, in adequate prenatal care, lack of private insurance or receipt of Medica id for delivery, giving birth in the western United States, plans to b reast-feed, and care by midwives. Two factors were associated with an increased likelihood of a regular discharge from the hospital: report of a hospitalization during pregnancy and giving birth in the Midwest or Northeast. Conclusions: Significant numbers of mothers discharged f rom the hospital early manifested health and social risk factors assoc iated with poor health outcomes. Economic factors seemed an important motivation for early discharge from the hospital, as hid inadequate us e of health services. Since brief hospitalization is prevalent, clinic ians and administrators must assure that the objectives of medical con tact during childbirth are met, if not through hospitalization, then t hrough other mechanisms.