Audit of two years experience in Regional Emergency Neonatal Transport in Liguria Region

Aim of this study is to assess the impact of the introduction of the Neonat al Emergency Transport Service (STEN) on neonatal mortality in Liguria. In this region, the STEN was introduced in February 1995. From this date to the end of January 1997, the number of transports amounted to 513, includi ng 20 from outside Liguria, 17 back transports and 13 neonatal transports t o perform instrumental diagnostic procedures required by 1st or 2nd level c entres. Gestational age of the population studied ranges from 22 to 42 week s (mean 36 weeks +/-4), and weight ranges from 500 g to 5420 g (mean 2621 /- 859 g). Fifty-two newborns weighed less than 1500 g and 293 more than 25 00 g. Male to female ratio was 1.5. Out of the 513 transports, 308 (60 %) w ere required by 1st level operating units (OU), 185 (36 %) by 2nd level OU, 20 (4 %) by OU outside Liguria. The newborns transported from different pa rts of Liguria accounted for 2.37 % of live births in this region in the pe riod considered. 94 % of these newborns (463) have been transported in the first 24 hours of life. The data on early and late neonatal mortality in It aly, northwestern regions and Liguria from 1990 to 1993 have been compared to the two-year period of STEN activity. Early neonatal mortality in Liguri a decreased from a mean value of 4.2 parts per thousand in the period 1990- 93 to 2.8 parts per thousand in the years 1995-96 with a 34 % reduction, an d a constant decrease in 1996 to 2.4 %. Late neonatal mortality remained un changed. Even if the decreased rate of early neonatal mortality has to be c orrelated to an overall improvement of prenatal and neonatal health care, S TEN contribution is remarkable. In conclusion neonatal transport has played a significant role in the decre ase in early neonatal mortality rate in Liguria over the last two yeats. Th is service can now be considered an essential part of perinatal care in Lig uria.