The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of two different types of intravenous infusion pumps currently used in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the Burlo Garofolo Children's Hospital, Trieste, Italy. During a 1-month-period two volumetric (Oximetrix Shaw) and four peristaltic (Ivac) pumps were studied. The total number of days of observation (pump-days) were 63 and 58 respectively. The accuracy, which is the difference between the volume of fluid to be infused according to the doctor's prescription and that actually delivered to the baby, expressed as a percentage on the daily programme, is satisfactory for both types of instruments, even if below the standard set by the manufacturers. Efficiency is evaluated through a separate set of criteria developed 'a priori' within each category of pumps, taking into account accuracy and the number of adjustments of infusion rate required per day. It appears that both volumetric and peristaltic pumps show in most days of observation a level of efficiency defined as good or medium: 81% and 72% respectively. For volumetric pumps this satisfactory performance is equally divided into the classes good and medium, whilst for peristaltic ones there is a predominance of medium days.