Effects of a Law against Early Postpartum Discharge on Newborn Follow-up, Adverse Events, and HMO Expenditures

Abstract
Concern about harm to newborns from early postpartum discharges led to laws establishing minimum hospital stays in the mid-1990s. We evaluated the effects of an early-discharge protocol (a hospital stay of one postpartum night plus a home visit) in a health maintenance organization (HMO) and a subsequent state law guaranteeing a 48-hour hospital stay.