Access to intensive neonatal care and neonatal survival in low birthweight infants: A population study in Norway

Summary. This study evaluates the impact of regional differences in access to intensive neonatal care on neonatal survival in geographically defined populations of 4 692 low birthweight births in Norway 1979–81. For infants weighing 1 250 to 2 499 g our results are consistent with the existence of a dose‐response association between neonatal survival and the level of immediate access to intensive neonatal care. Although not statistically significant, there was a clear gradient in the risk of mortality within 24 hours. A similar pattern of survival could not be consistently demonstrated for infants weighing less than 1 250 g.