Pediatrics (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit)
We expanded our neonatal intensive care unit bed capacity
Since the reinforcement of the obstetrics and gynecology system in October 2022, we have seen a steady increase in the number of deliveries, which has led to an increase in the demand for treatment of respiratory disorders and other problems by pediatricians. Against this backdrop, the Department of Pediatrics newly established the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in April 2024. Since then, we have further improved our medical treatment capabilities and increased the range of diseases we can treat and the scope of treatment we can provide, resulting in more treatment results than ever before in the first half of FY2024 alone. Recently, the collaboration between pediatrics and pediatric surgery has become even closer, and the number of cases of neonatal surgery is also increasing .
Additional neonatal care beds for babies requiring intensive care such as premature birth. In order to provide full medical care for newborns (babies under 28 days old, from birth to one month checkup), we have established the “Neonatal Intensive Care Unit” which mainly treats newborns after birth, and increased the number of neonatal care beds in preparation for the opening of the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) and GCU (newborn recovery room). The number of beds has been increased.
- NICU：An intensive care unit specializing in newborns, including preterm infants, low birth weight infants, and babies with congenital diseases.
- GCU：A room that mainly accepts babies whose condition has recovered after treatment in the NICU and prepares them for discharge from the hospital.
In general, about 15% of full-term babies born between 37 to 41 weeks gestation will require some support after birth, and about 5% will require a higher level of support. Even when born healthy, babies born before full term (5-6% of all births) and babies born underweight (9-10% of all births) often require support for prematurity.
To enhance our medical care for these newborns, our hospital has welcomed two experienced neonatologists specializing in NICU care: Professor Kohei Kashima, Head of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and Lecturer Yuma Kitase. We have established a system capable of broadly addressing the needs of premature infants, low birth weight infants, twins, and babies born to mothers with complications. Furthermore, we aim to provide surgical care, focusing on the digestive system of babies, in collaboration with our in-house pediatric surgery department. In the future, the departments of obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, and pediatric surgery will work together as one to ensure a safe and secure childbirth experience and contribute to regional perinatal and pediatric healthcare.
