Neonatal Care
High-risk pregnancy care isn't just care for moms, but also for her babies. Often time, babies whose moms had a high-risk pregnancy are also high-risk and need an extra level of care not available in a traditional nursery or hospital setting. It's important that these babies have access to a neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU.
Specialized Care for Your Baby
NICU's are given level ratings based on their staff and capacity to care for newborns with critical needs.
Level I NICU provide care for stable premature infants, perform some life-saving procedures and care for more critically ill newborns until they can be transferred to a NICU with a higher-level designation.
Level II NICUs can support many premature infants born at 32 weeks or later, including those with physiological immaturities, as well as newborns who are unable to regulate their body temperature or take oral feedings.
Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit offer newborns a higher level of care, including newborns with critical illnesses and those born as early as 28 weeks of age.
Level IV NICUs offer experience in the care of the most critically ill newborns, including those requiring surgical repair of complex conditions.
SSM Health offers specialized neonatal care throughout the system, including Level III and IV Neonatal Intensive Care Units.
For babies who need highly specialized care, SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital is home to the Dana Brown Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, a Level IV NICU-the highest level designation. Depending on a baby's situation, he or she may be brought by ambulance or even helicopter to Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital in the care of our Neonatal Transport Team. The Neonatal Transport Team has been bringing babies from around the region to Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital for more than 35 years and is comprised of advanced care nurses and respiratory therapists specially trained in the stabilization and transportation of fragile newborns. An attending physician will also accompany the transport team when necessary.
We're also a satellite patient-care site for the SSM Health Cardinal Glennon St. Louis Fetal Care Institute, which provides the region's most comprehensive fetal care-diagnostic tests and procedures before baby is even born.
The SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital - Madison Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit offers state-of-the-art technology as well as comfortable, private rooms for families to bond – creating the perfect environment for our tiniest patients.
Our NICU features:
- Rooms designed for families with multiples
- Respite spaces in NICU and our Ronald McDonald Family Room®
- Faster, more efficient lab testing equipment
- High-tech Giraffe® Omnibeds
- Room for up to 38 fragile newborns at a time
Our neonatologists (doctors who are experts in caring for critically ill newborns) are onsite 24/7. NICU nurses, respiratory therapists and other caregivers support babies' growth and development and also teach families how to care for their newest members.
St. Mary's Hospital also serves as a regional referral center. Hospitals throughout south-central Wisconsin turn to our NICU experts when they need advice about a patient. Newborns are often transferred to St. Mary's Hospital via helicopter or our specially equipped ambulance.
The Family Birthplace at SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital - St. Louis is the regional hub for maternal services and high-risk obstetrics and is fully equipped with a Level III Neonatal ICU where our smallest patients get a state-of-the-art start.
Our Level III NICU is co-managed and staffed with those who know babies best - SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital nurses and physicians from Saint Louis University School of Medicine. Our team of experts can provide respiratory and nutritional support for your baby along with conducting sophisticated diagnostic testing like ultrasonography and echocardiography, if needed. In addition to cutting-edge technology and specialized care, the private family rooms in our NICU let families stay close to their newborn and care for their child, while being supported by our nurses, doctors, social workers and pastoral care staff.