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2016 to 2023 Saw Increase in NICU Admission Rate

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, March 19, 2025 -- From 2016 to 2023, there was an increase in the rate of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions, according to a March data brief published by the National Center for Health Statistics.

Joyce A. Martin, M.P.H., and Michelle J.K. Osterman, from the National Center for Health Statistics in Hyattsville, Maryland, used data from the National Vital Statistics System to describe trends in NICU admission in the United States overall and by maternal age, race, and Hispanic origin; gestational age and birth weight; and state of residence.

The researchers found that from 2016 to 2023, there was an increase in the percentage of infants admitted to a NICU in the United States from 8.7 to 9.8 percent; NICU rates increased for all maternal age groups. From 2016 to 2023, NICU rates increased for each race and Hispanic origin group, with the largest increases seen for infants born to American Indian and Alaska Native non-Hispanic, White non-Hispanic, and Black non-Hispanic mothers. Among all gestational age and birth-weight categories, the percentage of infants admitted to a NICU increased from 2016 to 2023. NICU rates increased in most states during the study period.

"Nearly one in 10 infants (9.8 percent) was admitted to a NICU in 2023, an increase of 13 percent from 2016," the authors write. "Increases from 2016 to 2023 were seen for each maternal age, race and Hispanic-origin group, gestational age and birth-weight category, and among most U.S. states.

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Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

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Posted March 2025

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