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Neonatal Transport Services

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Neonatology

Abstract

Neonatal transfer is necessary when a newborn baby needs care that cannot be provided in the referral center. Since it represents an additional risk factor for a critically ill neonate, it should be performed, when possible, by a well-organized neonatal transport service. In a network, aimed at the regionalization of perinatal care, high-risk pregnancies should be transferred “in utero” in order to minimize risks for both mother and neonate. However, there will always be a number of neonates who need to be transferred for unpredicted or unpredictable reasons. Every maternity unit should therefore be able to provide effective neonatal resuscitation in the delivery room, be able to maintain a sick baby in a stable condition in the short term, and have access to a neonatal emergency transport service (NETS) for the provision of neonatal intensive care when appropriate. Thus, NETS provides a bridge between birth centers and neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).

Organization of NETS, quality evaluation, transport process, family-centered care, and challenging situations that can be encountered during neonatal transport are some of the topics treated in this chapter.

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Correspondence to Rocco Agostino .

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Agostino, R., Aufieri, R., Gente, M. (2018). Neonatal Transport Services. In: Buonocore, G., Bracci, R., Weindling, M. (eds) Neonatology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29489-6_168

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29489-6_168

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-29487-2

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