Arlington Hts. hospital can now care for tiniest babies

Northwest Community Hospital can now care for the tiniest of premature newborns, the Arlington Heights hospital announced Monday.

The Illinois Department of Public Health has designated the hospital a Level III perinatal facility, meaning babies and women with high-risk pregnancies can stay in the area and get “expert care from board-certified neonatologists and specialists who are also on staff at Children’s Memorial Hospital,” the hospital said in a news release.

Cindy Hartwig, director of Women’s and Children’s Services, said before the designation about 30 premature babies and as many pregnant women were transferred to other hospitals each year. More pregnant women were referred to other hospitals by their doctors because of their high-risk status.

“In the past we could only care for babies who were at least 30 weeks gestation, but now any gestational age is fine, including triplets and quadruplets,” Hartwig said.

In order to obtain the designation, the hospital needed neonatologists or specially trained pediatricians and specially trained obstetricians available, along with pediatric surgeons, special pharmacists and respiratory therapists. A social worker and other plans for follow-up also is required.

The 16-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit that opened in May as part of the hospital’s new South Pavilion also was part of receiving the Level III designation, which took three to four years to obtain, Hartwig said.

“We needed more space,” she added. “This new unit with private rooms where parents could stay overnight lends itself to Level III designation.”

The hospital delivers about 3,000 babies a year and expects that number to grow with the new facilities.

Being close to home also is important, Hartwig said. Premature babies might have to stay in the hospital for weeks, and that could mean parents have to travel on the expressway every day.

“When you’re a mom and the baby is so far away from you, it’s really hard,” she said.