Transfer before delivery on Merseyside: an analysis of the first 140 patients.

Pregnant women (140) were transferred to the Regional Unit between May 1979 and December 1981 for delivery of preterm infants considered to be at risk. The 144 live infants and seven stillbirths that were delivered had a mean birthweight of 1.37 kg and a mean gestation of 29 weeks; there were nine abortions. In 1980 the uncorrected neonatal survival for very low birthweight infants was significantly better for those transferred before delivery (81%) than for infants born in the Region and not transferred (52%). The survival of very low birthweight infants transferred after delivery was 53%.