2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code Z38.1Single liveborn infant, born outside hospital

ICD-10-CM Codes›Z00–Z99›Z30-Z39›Z38

ICD-10-CM Z38.1
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

Z38.1 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for single liveborn infant, born outside hospital. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026). The code is restricted by the Medicare Code Editor to newborn patients (age 0) and exempt from POA reporting. Coders also document this condition as born at home. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Liveborn.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
Z38.1
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Single liveborn infant, born outside hospital
Short Description
Single liveborn infant, born outside hospital
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
Z38
Liveborn infants according to place of birth and type of delivery

Code Classification

ChapterZ00–Z99Factors influencing health status and contact with health services
SectionZ30-Z39Persons encountering health services in circumstances related to reproduction
CategoryZ38Liveborn infants according to place of birth and type of delivery
This CodeZ38.1Single liveborn infant, born outside hospital

Code EditsBilling

Medicare Code Editor checks that affect claim validity for Z38.1.

Perinatal / Newborn diagnoses
The Medicare Code Editor detects inconsistencies in perinatal / newborn cases by checking a patient's age and any diagnosis on the patient's record. The newborn code edits apply to patients age 0 years only; a subset of diagnoses which will only occur during the perinatal or newborn period of age 0 (e.g., tetanus neonatorum, health examination for newborn under 8 days old).

Present on Admission (POA)Billing

Z38.1 is exempt from POA reporting on inpatient claims to general acute care hospitals. Review other POA exempt codes.

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Born at home
  • Born before arrival
  • Born before arrival of midwife
  • Born before arrival to hospital
  • Born in ambulance
  • Home birth
  • Livebirth born before admission to hospital
  • Out-of-hospital birth
  • Place of birth - finding
  • Singleton liveborn born outside hospital

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance

References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.

    • Infant(s)
      • liveborn (singleton)
        • born outside hospital
    • Newborn(infant) (liveborn) (singleton)
      • born outside hospital

Clinical ClassificationClinical

AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.

CCSR PNL001
Liveborn
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Patient EducationClinical

Childbirth

Childbirth is the process of giving birth to a baby. It includes labor and delivery of the fetus and the placenta. The placenta is the organ that supplies food and oxygen through the umbilical cord to your fetus during pregnancy.

The full article covers:

  • What is childbirth?
  • How do I know if I'm going into labor?
  • What are the stages of labor?
  • What are the options for pain relief during childbirth?

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Convert Z38.1 to ICD-9-CMHistory

The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.

ICD-9-CM
V30.1 Singl livebrn-before adm
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.
ICD-9-CM
V30.2 Single liveborn-nonhosp
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.
ICD-9-CM
V39.1 Liveborn NOS-before adm
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.
ICD-9-CM
V39.2 Liveborn NOS-nonhosp
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About Z38.1Overview

Is Z38.1 a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report single liveborn infant, born outside hospital on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Who can Z38.1 be reported for?

The Medicare Code Editor checks single liveborn infant, born outside hospital against patient demographics: this code is intended for newborn patients (age 0). Claims outside these limits are flagged as inconsistent.

Is Z38.1 exempt from POA reporting?

Yes. CMS lists this code among those exempt from present on admission reporting, so hospitals do not assign a POA indicator for single liveborn infant, born outside hospital on inpatient claims.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of Z38.1?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, single liveborn infant, born outside hospital converts to ICD-9-CM V30.1 (singl livebrn-before adm), V30.2 (single liveborn-nonhosp), and V39.1 (liveborn NOS-before adm). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.