Newborn Early Discharge Revisited: Are California Newborns Receiving Recommended Postnatal Services?

CONTEXT: Responding to safety concerns, federal and state legislation mandated coverage of minimum postnatal stays and state legislation in California mandated coverage of follow-up after early discharge. Little is known about the postnatal services newborns are receiving. OBJECTIVE: To describe rates of early discharge and of timely follow-up for early-discharged newborns. DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective, population-based cohort study using a 1999 postpartum survey in California. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 2828 infants of mothers with medically low-risk singleton births. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Rates of early discharge (<or=1-night stay after vaginal delivery and <or=3-night stay after cesarean section) and untimely follow-up (no home or office visit within 2 days of early discharge). RESULTS: Overall, 49.4% of newborns were discharged early. Of these, 67.5% had untimely follow-up. The odds of early discharge were greater with lower incomes: the adjusted odds ratios (AORs) (with 95% confidence intervals) were 2.06 (1.50-2.83) for incomes <or=100% of poverty, 2.20 (1.65-2.93) for incomes from 101%-200% of poverty, and 2.24 (1.63-3.08) for incomes from 201%-300% of poverty. Untimely follow-up was more likely for infants of women with incomes <or=100% of poverty (AOR = 1.89 [1.13-3.17]) and 201%-300% of poverty (AOR = 1.78 [1.09-2.91]), Medicaid coverage (AOR = 1.73 [1.20-2.47]), Latina ethnicity (AOR = 1.47 [1.02-2.14]), and non-English language (AOR = 1.72 [1.16-2.55]). CONCLUSIONS: Despite an apparent decline in short stays after legislation, many newborns--particularly from lower-income families--continue to be discharged early. Most newborns discharged early--particularly those with Medicaid and those from low-income, Latina, and non-English-speaking homes--do not receive recommended follow-up. The most socioeconomically vulnerable newborns are receiving fewer postnatal services.