Childbirth Costs Research Articles

Descriptive analysis of childbirth healthcare costs in an area with high levels of immigration in Spain

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to estimate the cost of childbirth in a teaching hospital in Barcelona, Spain, including the costs of prenatal care, delivery and postnatal care (3 months). Costs were assessed by taking into account maternal origin and delivery type.MethodsWe performed a cross-sectional study of all deliveries in a teaching hospital to mothers living in its catchment area between October 2006 and September 2007. A process cost analysis based on a full cost accounting system was performed. The main information sources were the primary care program for sexual and reproductive health, and hospital care and costs records. Partial and total costs were compared according to maternal origin and delivery type. A regression model was fit to explain the total cost of the childbirth process as a function of maternal age and origin, prenatal care, delivery type, maternal and neonatal severity, and multiple delivery.ResultsThe average cost of childbirth was 4,328€, with an average of 18.28 contacts between the mother or the newborn and the healthcare facilities. The delivery itself accounted for more than 75% of the overall cost: maternal admission accounted for 57% and neonatal admission for 20%. Prenatal care represented 18% of the overall cost and 75% of overall acts. The average overall cost was 5,815€ for cesarean sections, 4,064€ for vaginal instrumented deliveries and 3,682€ for vaginal non-instrumented deliveries (p < 0.001). The regression model explained 45.5% of the cost variability. The incremental cost of a delivery through cesarean section was 955€ (an increase of 31.9%) compared with an increase of 193€ (6.4%) for an instrumented vaginal delivery. The incremental cost of admitting the newborn to hospital ranged from 420€ (14.0%) to 1,951€ (65.2%) depending on the newborn's severity. Age, origin and prenatal care were not statistically significant or economically relevant.ConclusionsNeither immigration nor prenatal care were associated with a substantial difference in costs. The most important predictors of cost were delivery type and neonatal severity. Given the impact of cesarean sections on the overall cost of childbirth, attempts should be made to take into account its higher cost in the decision of performing a cesarean section.

Effect of Academic Affiliation and Obstetric Volume on Clinical Outcome and Cost of Childbirth

In Brief Objective To determine whether the academic affiliation and obstetric volume of the delivering hospital has an impact on clinical and economic outcomes. Methods We performed a cross-sectional analysis of data for all births in the State of Maryland during 1996. Acute hospital discharge data were obtained from the publicly available Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission database. Institutions were classified as community hospitals, community teaching hospitals, and academic medical centers. Principal outcome variables included cesarean birth and complication rates, total hospital charges, and length of stay. Results A total of 63,143 cases were identified for analysis. The cesarean delivery rate was lower among academic medical centers, compared with community teaching hospitals and community hospitals (18.4% compared with 24.3% and 21.2%, respectively). After adjustment for patient case-mix, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) for cesarean birth was 0.66 at academic medical centers and 1.23 at community teaching hospitals compared with community hospitals (P < .01). Rates of episiotomy and serious complications were lower at academic medical centers compared with community hospitals. Adjusted total hospital charges were lower and length of stay was shorter for community hospitals compared with academic medical centers ($2937 compared with $3564 and 2.2 days compared with 2.5 days, respectively). Conclusion Hospital academic affiliation was an important predictor of clinical outcomes. Better clinical outcomes were found primarily among patients at academic medical centers, although these institutions demonstrated moderately higher resource utilization, compared with community hospitals. Improved clinical outcomes and marginally higher resource utilization is observed among academic medical centers compared with community hospitals.

Effect of academic affiliation and obstetric volume on clinical outcome and cost of childbirth

Objective: To determine whether the academic affiliation and obstetric volume of the delivering hospital has an impact on clinical and economic outcomes. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of data for all births in the State of Maryland during 1996. Acute hospital discharge data were obtained from the publicly available Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission database. Institutions were classified as community hospitals, community teaching hospitals, and academic medical centers. Principal outcome variables included cesarean birth and complication rates, total hospital charges, and length of stay. Results: A total of 63,143 cases were identified for analysis. The cesarean delivery rate was lower among academic medical centers, compared with community teaching hospitals and community hospitals (18.4% compared with 24.3% and 21.2%, respectively). After adjustment for patient case-mix, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) for cesarean birth was 0.66 at academic medical centers and 1.23 at community teaching hospitals compared with community hospitals ( P < .01). Rates of episiotomy and serious complications were lower at academic medical centers compared with community hospitals. Adjusted total hospital charges were lower and length of stay was shorter for community hospitals compared with academic medical centers ($2937 compared with $3564 and 2.2 days compared with 2.5 days, respectively). Conclusion: Hospital academic affiliation was an important predictor of clinical outcomes. Better clinical outcomes were found primarily among patients at academic medical centers, although these institutions demonstrated moderately higher resource utilization, compared with community hospitals.