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Neonatal Care

Providing appropriate health care to newborn infants is associated with positive physical and developmental outcomes, often with lasting effects into childhood and adulthood. RAND research related to neonatal care includes studies on premature births and low birth weight babies, infant mortality, care and nutrition, and vulnerable populations.

Commentary

Policies That Punish Pregnant Women for Substance Use Don't Help Mother or Baby

About half of all U.S. states now have policies that criminalize substance use during pregnancy, consider it grounds for civil commitment, or consider it child abuse or neglect. But research suggests that punitive policies aren't beneficial for infants or their mothers.

Jan 28, 2020
News Release

The NHS Spends Significantly Less on Pregnancy-Related Research Compared with Other Health Conditions

The National Health Service spends significantly less on pregnancy-related research compared with other health conditions. Funding for pregnancy research totaled £255 million from 2013 to 2017, or about £51 million a year. As pregnancy care costs the NHS £5.8 billion annually, this means that for every £1 spent on pregnancy care, less than 1 penny is spent on research.

Jan 14, 2020
Report

Report

Pregnancy research review: Policy report

This study presents a review of UK pregnancy research needs and priorities, comparing this to current research expenditure and setting the findings in the context of NHS costs related to pregnancy.

Jan 13, 2020
Blog

AI Bias, Opioids, Afghanistan: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on the danger of artificial intelligence bias, infants with opioid withdrawal symptoms, peace talks in Afghanistan, and more.

Mar 15, 2019
Tool

Simulation of County Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) Rates Tool

This web-based tool aims to inform policymakers about the rates of neonatal abstinence syndrome by county across eight states from 2009 to 2015. This analysis is displayed via maps and interactive charts.

Mar 15, 2019
Commentary

Opioid-Dependent Newborns in My West Virginia Hometown Point to a Path Out of Drug Crisis

In small, rural towns like Bluefield, West Virginia, economies are hurting, the opioid epidemic is growing, and together they are taking a toll on a surprising population: pregnant women and their babies.

Mar 6, 2019
Report

Report

Development of metrics to measure the impact of Tommy's work

This study presents metrics to help work out what Tommy's should measure and how Tommy's should report impact. The aim is to work out how each contributes to Tommy's desired outcomes, namely the reduction of stillbirth, preterm birth and miscarriage.

Sep 17, 2018
Multimedia

The Impact of the Opioid Crisis on Children

RAND adjunct physician policy researcher Stephen W. Patrick gives testimony at a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on the impact of the opioid epidemic on children and families.

Feb 8, 2018
Journal Article

New Parent Home Visiting Program Reduces Infants' Need for Medical Care

Infants whose families took part in a new parent home visit program were less likely to visit the emergency room and made fewer primary care visits during their first year of life. The program benefited at-risk families and those who had no risk factors.

Jan 27, 2017
News Release

News Release

New Parent Home Visiting Program Reduces Infants' Need for Medical Care During First Year of Life

Infants whose families participated in a new parent home visit program were less likely to visit the emergency room and made fewer primary care doctor visits during their first year of life. The program benefited both families who were at risk for problems, and those who had no risk factors.

Dec 15, 2016
Journal Article

Lactation Support Services and Breastfeeding Initiation: Evidence from the Affordable Care Act

The likelihood that mothers with private health insurance would start breastfeeding increased by 2.5 percentage points after the Affordable Care Act mandated the coverage of lactation support services.

Nov 28, 2016
Journal Article

Journal Article

Outcomes and Costs of Surgical Treatments of Necrotizing Enterocolitis

Despite previous studies demonstrating no difference in mortality or morbidity, the various surgical approaches for necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in infants have not been evaluated economically.

Apr 24, 2015
Journal Article

Journal Article

The Association of State Legal Mandates for Data Submission of Central Line–associated Bloodstream Infections in Neonatal Intensive Care Units with Process and Outcomes Measures

The authors determine the association between state legal mandates for data submission of central line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) with process and outcome measures. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study.

Aug 22, 2014
Journal Article

Journal Article

Effect of Chiranjeevi Yojana on Institutional Deliveries and Neonatal and Maternal Outcomes in Gujarat, India: A Difference-In-Differences Analysis

In an observational study using a difference-in-differences design, the relationship between the Chiranjeevi Yojana programme and the probability of delivery in health-care institutions, the probability of obstetric complications and mean household expenditure for deliveries was subsequently examined.

Jan 1, 2013
Journal Article

Journal Article

Employment, Family Leave, and Parents of Newborns or Seriously Ill Children

Parents of newborns and seriously ill children often know about family leave options, but are too overwhelmed to apply for them. Most parents interviewed in this study wanted expert guidance and saw hospitals and clinics as promising information sources.

May 1, 2012
Journal Article

Journal Article

Can Health Care Information Technology Save Babies?

Using a 12-year county-level panel, this study found that a 10 percent increase in births that occur in hospitals with electronic medical records reduces neonatal mortality by 16 deaths per 100,000 live births.

Apr 1, 2011
Journal Article

Journal Article

Assessing and Understanding Quality of Care in a Labour Ward: A Pilot Study Combining Clinical and Social Science Perspectives in Gondar, Ethiopia

Ensuring high quality intrapartum care in developing countries is a crucial component of efforts to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity.

Jan 1, 2010
Research Brief

Research Brief

Rural Hospitals Struggle to Attract Patients and Remain Viable

Describes the characteristics of rural hospitals and those who use them and discusses the challenges these hospitals face.

Oct 9, 2009
Periodical

Periodical

RAND Review, Spring 2008: Baby Steps

The Spring 2008 issue of RAND Review compares neonatal services across the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, and Sweden, discusses water resources management, U.S. policies in Asia, and political polarization.

Apr 19, 2008
Report

International Comparison of Neonatal Services

A study commissioned by the UK National Audit Office (NAO) analyses the provision of neonatal services in seven countries: Australia,Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the U.S., Canada, and Sweden. Findings determined that all countries studied use neonatal networks, but with varying levels of formalisation, that low staffing is a problem for UK neonatal services, and that a few international regions are leaders in high-quality neonatal service provision.

Jan 1, 2008

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RAND Topic:
Neonatal Care

Research conducted by

RAND Health Care