Delayed Cord Clamping and Umbilical Cord Milking among Infants in California Neonatal Intensive Care Units.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the current practice of delayed cord clamping (DCC) and to determine patient and hospital factors that predict DCC. STUDY DESIGN: The California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative (CPQCC) collects data on preterm and acutely ill infants. In 2016, 52 CPQCC neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) collected data on DCC. Hospital and patient characteristics were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Of 5,332 deliveries, 1,555 (29%) newborns received DCC. Hospital rates ranged from 0 to 74.5% and increased from 21 to 37% throughout 2016. Infants delivered at <32 weeks or with birth weight <1,500 g were more likely to receive DCC (odds ratio: 2.80; 95% confidence interval: 2.33, 3.36). Cesarean delivery was associated with less likelihood of DCC (odds ratio: 0.68; 95% confidence interval: 0.59, 0.79). After risk adjustment, 17 (33%) hospitals had higher than expected DCC rate. Hospitals with less than 50 NICU beds are more likely to practice DCC, whereas Level 3 American Academy of Pediatrics NICUs, nonprofit owned hospitals, and teaching institutions were less likely to practice DCC (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: There are opportunities to implement quality improvement activities to increase DCC rates.

Variations in Neonatal Antibiotic Use.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to identify whether and how the NICU antibiotic use rate (AUR), clinical correlates, and practice variation changed between 2013 and 2016 and attempted to identify AUR ranges that are consistent with objectively determined bacterial and/or fungal disease burdens. METHODS: In a retrospective cohort study of >54 000 neonates annually at >130 California NICUs from 2013 to 2016, we computed nonparametric linear correlation and compared AURs among years using a 2-sample test of proportions. We stratified by level of NICU care and participation in externally organized stewardship efforts. RESULTS: By 2016, the overall AUR declined 21.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 21.9%-22.0%), reflecting 42 960 fewer antibiotic days. Among NICUs in externally organized antibiotic stewardship efforts, the AUR declined 28.7% (95% CI 28.6%-28.8%) compared with 16.2% (95% CI 16.1%-16.2%) among others. The intermediate NICU AUR range narrowed, but the distribution of values did not shift toward lower values as it did for other levels of care. The 2016 AUR correlated neither with proven infection nor necrotizing enterocolitis. The 2016 regional NICU AUR correlated with surgical volume (ρ = 0.53; P = .01), mortality rate (ρ = 0.57; P = .004), and average length of stay (ρ = 0.62; P = .002) and was driven by 3 NICUs with the highest AUR values (30%-57%). CONCLUSIONS: Unexplained antibiotic use has declined but continues. Currently measured clinical correlates generally do not help explain AUR values that are above the lowest quartile cutpoint of 14.4%.