Transport calls regarding an imminent delivery

Occasionally transport calls are received regarding an extremely premature fetus who will be delivering imminently at an outlying facility. In contradistinction to previous policy, these requests are now being considered on a case-by-case basis.

The VUMC neonatal physician accepting the transport call should first put the obstetricians at the outlying facility in communication with the perinatologist on-call for VUMC Obstetrics (322-2255 or 322-0953). VUMC perinatologists can best assess the maternal delivery situation, whether a maternal transport could be achieved, and whether delivery is truly imminent. If the VUMC perinatologist feels that delivery is inevitable and should/will occur within approximately one hour, it is appropriate to send the Angel team. The transport team’s responsibility at the referring hospital is to support (not replace) the pediatrician at the delivery and during the resuscitation.