Analysis of a maternal transport service within a perinatal region.

In 1979, the State of Illinois legislated regionalization of perinatal care. Analysis of perinatal statistics from the Loyola University Perinatal Center from 1979 to 1986 supports: (1) increasing numbers of maternal and neonatal transports, with the number of maternal transports exceeding the number of neonatal transports since 1982; (2) increasing proportion of low birthweight and very low birthweight infants delivered at the perinatal center; (3) a decrease in the number of infants less than 1500 gm sent as neonatal transports; and (4) increasing proportion of neonatal transports with a birthweight greater than 2500 gm. With the change in utilization by local physicians, the perinatal center has expanded its obstetric and neonatal service areas and hired additional staff to meet the increased demand for its services. The perinatal mortality rate for the region has decreased from 1981 to 1986.