NICU Discharge of High-Risk Infants: Care Doesn’t End Here . . .

Timing of discharge should not depend on body weight or postmenstrual age, but rather on attainment of physiologic maturity and completion of planning and discharge arrangements.

The success of Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) during the past 20 years has resulted in a significant reduction in mortality, but also in a remarkable increase in the number of high-risk neonates who survive to discharge from NICUs. An updated policy statement from the AAP Committee on Fetus and Newborn addresses timing of discharge and postdischarge care for high-risk infants. The four categories of high-risk infants are as follows:

Preterm infants: Discharge of preterm infants requires physiologic stability, parental involvement, arrangements for healthcare after discharge, and an organized program to monitor growth and development.
Infants with special healthcare needs that require supportive technology: Infants with special healthca…

Author

William P. Kanto, Jr.,, MD