Neonatal specialists are doctors who have expertise in caring for newborn babies. Besides caring for full-term newborns, neonatal specialists also care for babies who are born prematurely. A premature baby is one who has been born prior to 37 weeks gestation. Neonatal specialists also care for some of the smallest preemies called micro preemies. These tiny babies can be born as early as 22 weeks and weigh less than one pound.
Newborns are placed under the care of a neonatal specialist for a variety of reasons. Some reasons a full-term baby might be placed in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) include:
A preemie's health is at risk because of an earlier than normal birth. The most common health risk for a baby born prematurely is that the lungs and brain are underdeveloped. Preemies are placed in an incubator or isolette which acts as an artificial womb that helps to regulate oxygen supply.
Other health risks a premature baby may face include:
- Apnea - slowing heart rate and pauses in breathing
- Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) - abnormal development of lung tissue
- Respiratory distress - lungs have trouble inflating
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) - stomach contents come back up the esophagus
- Intraventricular Hemorrhage (IVH) - vessels in the brain break causing bleeding
- Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) - abnormality of the eye that can cause retinal detachment and blindness
- Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) - intestines become infected
Micro preemies are babies that are born at 26 weeks gestation or earlier and weigh less than 1 pound 12 ounces. These tiny babies can suffer from some of the same conditions as preemies. However, since they are born earlier, there is an increased chance that a micro preemie could have any of the conditions discussed above.
Some long term health concerns for a premature baby include:
Because there is a higher chance for premature babies to have life-long health conditions, the neonatal specialist who looked after these tiny babies in the NICU may continue to follow these patients after being discharged.
To get discharged from the NICU, the baby has to be able to:
- Stay warm
- Take in feedings by mouth
- Outgrow apnea and slowing of the heart
- Breathe without oxygen assistance
There are several neonatal specialists in Chicago who work in the NICU to care for such babies.
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