RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To assess the economic consequences of immediate delivery compared with expectant monitoring in women with preterm non-severe hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. DESIGN: A cost-effectiveness analysis alongside a randomised controlled trial (HYPITAT-II). SETTING: Obstetric departments of seven academic hospitals and 44 non-academic hospitals in the Netherlands. POPULATION: Women diagnosed with non-severe hypertensive disorders of pregnancy between 340/7 and 370/7 weeks of gestation, randomly allocated to either immediate delivery or expectant monitoring. METHODS: A trial-based cost-effectiveness analysis was performed from a healthcare perspective until final maternal and neonatal discharge. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Health outcomes were expressed as the prevalence of respiratory distress syndrome, defined as the need for supplemental oxygen for >24 hours combined with radiographic findings typical for respiratory distress syndrome. Costs were estimated from a healthcare perspective until maternal and neonatal discharge. RESULTS: The average costs of immediate delivery (n = 352) were 10 245 versus 9563 for expectant monitoring (n = 351), with an average difference of 682 (95% confidence interval, 95% CI -618 to 2126). This 7% difference predominantly originated from the neonatal admissions, which were 5672 in the immediate delivery arm and 3929 in the expectant monitoring arm. CONCLUSION: In women with mild hypertensive disorders between 340/7 and 370/7 weeks of gestation, immediate delivery is more costly than expectant monitoring as a result of differences in neonatal admissions. These findings support expectant monitoring, as the clinical outcomes of the trial demonstrated that expectant monitoring reduced respiratory distress syndrome for a slightly increased risk of maternal complications. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Expectant management in preterm hypertensive disorders is less costly compared with immediate delivery.
Asunto(s)
Costos de la Atención en Salud/estadística & datos numéricos , Hipertensión Inducida en el Embarazo/terapia , Trabajo de Parto Inducido/economía , Espera Vigilante/economía , Análisis Costo-Beneficio , Femenino , Edad Gestacional , Humanos , Recién Nacido , Trabajo de Parto Inducido/métodos , Países Bajos , Embarazo , Resultado del Embarazo , Síndrome de Dificultad Respiratoria del Recién Nacido/epidemiología , Síndrome de Dificultad Respiratoria del Recién Nacido/etiología , Espera Vigilante/métodosRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To assess the economic consequences of labour induction with Foley catheter compared to prostaglandin E2 gel. DESIGN: Economic evaluation alongside a randomised controlled trial. SETTING: Obstetric departments of one university and 11 teaching hospitals in the Netherlands. POPULATION: Women scheduled for labour induction with a singleton pregnancy in cephalic presentation at term, intact membranes and an unfavourable cervix; and without previous caesarean section. METHODS: Cost-effectiveness analysis from a hospital perspective. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We estimated direct medical costs associated with healthcare utilisation from randomisation to 6 weeks postpartum. For caesarean section rate, and maternal and neonatal morbidity we calculated the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios, which represent the costs to prevent one of these adverse outcomes. RESULTS: Mean costs per woman in the Foley catheter group (n = 411) and in the prostaglandin E2 gel group (n = 408), were 3297 versus 3075, respectively, with an average difference of 222 (95% confidence interval -157 to 633). In the Foley catheter group we observed higher costs due to longer labour ward occupation and less cost related to induction material and neonatal admissions. Foley catheter induction showed a comparable caesarean section rate compared with prostaglandin induction, therefore the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was not informative. Foley induction resulted in fewer neonatal admissions (incremental cost-effectiveness ratio 2708) and asphyxia/postpartum haemorrhage (incremental cost-effectiveness ratios 5257) compared with prostaglandin induction. CONCLUSIONS: Foley catheter and prostaglandin E2 labour induction generate comparable costs.