Long-term outcomes of preterm infants admitted to single-family rooms versus an open-bay neonatal intensive care unit: A randomized controlled trial
In brief
Single-family NICU rooms had 1 death versus 8 in open bays
In this randomized trial of 85 very preterm or low-birthweight infants, death or developmental impairment at age 3 was similar in single-family rooms and open bays. Deaths were less frequent in single-family rooms, 1 of 41 versus 8 of 42, but this was a secondary finding in a small trial and needs confirmation.
- Journal
- Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association (Q1)
- Published
- 12 October 2026
- Study design
- Randomized controlled trial
- Evidence level
- Level 1, High (CEBM 1b)
- Authors
- Michael J Vincer, Christy G Woolcott, Darlene J Inglis, Tanya M Myles, Susan M MacDonald, Jehier Afifi, et al.
- PMID
- 42864367
- DOI
- 10.1038/s41372-026-02927-z
Why clinicians should know about it
- Picked for Neonatology (paper of the day, 14 October 2026): RCT comparing single-family rooms vs open-bay NICU
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To compare long-term outcomes of preterm infants in single-family room (SFR) vs. open-bay (OB) neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). STUDY DESIGN: This randomized controlled trial took place in a tertiary NICU from April 2018 to June 2019. Infants <31 weeks gestation or ≤1500 grams birthweight were randomly assigned upon admission to SFR or OB. The primary outcome was death or neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI; cerebral palsy, language delay, cognitive delay, blindness, or deafness) at 36 months corrected age. Secondary outcomes were mortality, NDI components, and safety measures. RESULTS: Of 85 infants (43 SFR, 42 OB), there was no difference in primary outcome (40.5% SFR vs. 47.4% OB, p = 0.644). Secondary outcomes did not differ except mortality, which was lower in SFR (1/41, 2.4%) than OB (8/42, 19.0%), p = 0.029. CONCLUSIONS: Composite outcome of death/NDI at 36 months corrected age was similar; however, reduction in mortality was noted in SFR. This trial was registered 6 Mar 2019 with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03867669 ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/search?cond=NCT03867669 ).
Abstract as published, via PubMed.
For healthcare professionals. The summary is generated by AI from the published abstract, and the evidence level is assigned automatically from the study design on the Oxford CEBM hierarchy. Neither is medical advice. Read the full paper before changing practice.