2003 Volume 39 Issue 1 Pages 1-7
Purpose A transportation system for newborns has contributed to improvement in the regional medical care for neonates in all three areas (eastern, central and western areas) of Shizuoka Prefecture In 1998, a general perinatal care center for high-risk pregnancy and newborn children was established in the western area, however there are still no effective, efficient perinatal care systems in the eastern and central areas. The incidence of surgical neonates have been investigated since then, and problems relating to neonatal surgery were examined in Shizuoka Prefecture. Methods A questionnaire was used to survey the number of surgical neonates, operations, and prenatal diagnoses in Shizuoka Prefecture from 1999 to 2001 Surgical neonatal rates, fetus diagnosis rates, and stillbirth rates in all three areas of Shizuoka Prefecture were calculated, and the problems were examined based on these data. Results Although the numbers for births and population were almost the same during this 3-yearperiod, the number of surgical newborn cases increased. The annual incidence of newborn surgical admissions was 2 34 per 100,000 total population (215 in the eastern area, 196 in the central area, and 2 97 in the western area) and 248 per 10,000 live births (217, 212, and 31, respectively). The incidence of newborn operations was 191 per 100,000 total population (165 in the eastern area, 1 56 in the central area, and 2 5 in the western area) and 201 per 10,000 live births (161. 169, and 262, respectively). In the western area, the number of surgical newborn cases was approximately 15 times higher than that in the eastern and central areas. Moreover, the fetus diagnosis rate in the western area was higher as compared to the diagnosis rates in both the eastern and central areas. Conclusions Once a perinatal care system is established, the surgical babies, who are unable to receive the proper care, will be transported to pediatnc surgical facilities. To provide for safe and effective treatment of surgical babies before, during and after delivery, the immediate establishment of effective and efficient perinatal medical care systems is necessary in both the eastern and central areas of Shizuoka Prefecture.
