Financial costs for parents with a baby in a neonatal nursery

Abstract

Aim: To determine the additional financial cost to families of babies admitted to the nurseries of The Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. Methods: Prospective case series of consecutive babies admitted to the Special and Intensive Care Nurseries at The Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. Data were collected from diaries completed by parents who recorded expenses related to having their baby in hospital. Fifty nine families of babies born <34 weeks' gestation who were hospitalised for at least 2 weeks. Results: The median expenditure per family per week was Australian (A) $243 and the median length of stay in the nurseries was 7 weeks. The major costs were related to ..