CPQCC tracks Small Babies and Big Babies in the Higher Acuity NICU Database. Eligibility depends on gestational age, birth weight, clinical criteria, and timing of admission or transfer.

Small Babies

An infant is considered a small baby if they:

  • Were born ≤31 weeks, 6 days gestation or

  • Had a birth weight ≤1,500 grams

All small babies are eligible for entry regardless of whether they were inborn (born at your hospital) or outborn (born elsewhere but acutely transferred for care) within 28 days of life.

Big Babies

Infants with birth weight >1,500 grams must:

Be born at your hospital or transferred in within 28 days, and

Be admitted to the NICU or cared for by the NICU service team, and

Meet at least one of the following criteria:

  1. Death

  2. Acute transport into or out of the NICU

  3. Noninvasive ventilation >4 continuous hours

  4. Intubated assisted ventilation >4 continuous hours

  5. Early bacterial sepsis

  6. Major surgery requiring anesthesia

  7. Readmission for total serum bilirubin ≥25 mg/dl and/or exchange transfusion

  8. Suspected encephalopathy or perinatal asphyxia

  9. Active therapeutic hypothermia

  10. Seizures

Definition of Born Alive:
A live born infant is one who breathes or has any evidence of life, such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscle, regardless of whether the umbilical cord has been cut or the placenta is attached. Heartbeats are distinguished from transient cardiac contractions, and respirations are distinguished from fleeting respiratory efforts or gasps.
(Source: American Academy of Pediatrics: Clinical Reports, Pediatrics 2011;128:177–181)

Delivery Room Deaths

Any inborn infant who dies in the delivery room or within 12 hours after birth before NICU admission qualifies as a Delivery Room Death. Outborn infants or infants admitted to the NICU should not be classified as Delivery Room Deaths.

Transport Eligibility

Acute Transport is defined as:

  1. Transport to a NICU or inpatient setting where the infant is cared for by the NICU team

  2. Attended by a NICU or contract transport team

  3. Transported to a higher or equal level of care for medical or surgical reasons

Does NOT qualify:

  • Convalescent, palliative, or hospice transfers

  • Transfers within the same facility

  • Readmission from home or clinic

  • Parent-requested convenience transfers

  • Transport for bed availability, staffing, or insurance reasons

  • Transport after 28 days of life