Baby outcomes

This section looks at outcomes for the baby after birth, including gestational age, birthweight, birthweight adjusted for gestational age, Apgar score at 5 minutes after birth, resuscitation, baby’s hospital length of stay and admission to special care nurseries or neonatal intensive care units.

Gestational age

Gestational age is the duration of pregnancy in completed weeks.

Birthweight

The first weight of the baby taken within an hour of birth.

Birthweight adjusted for gestational age

Allows for differentiation in a baby’s growth status and maturity to be taken into account.

Apgar score at 5 minutes

Numerical score taken 5 minutes after birth to indicate the baby’s condition.

Active resuscitation method

Active measures taken shortly after birth to assist the baby’s ventilation and heartbeat or to treat depressed respiratory effort or correct metabolic disturbances. 

Baby length of stay in hospital

Length of a baby’s stay in hospital after birth in days.

Admission to a special care nursery or neonatal intensive care unit 

Admission to special care nursery or neonatal intensive care unit occurs if babies require more specialised medical care and treatment than is available on the postnatal ward.