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Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Preterm babies and those with serious conditions receive the highest level of care here at the largest, most advanced neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in New England. We provide compassionate services from delivery to discharge.

Region’s largest, most advanced NICUs

Babies who are born early (preterm) or have serious conditions receive specialized care from Mass General Brigham for Children NICUs at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. We’re home to New England’s largest, most advanced neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).

Our internationally recognized newborn health specialists (neonatologists) partner with pediatric medical and surgical colleagues across Mass General Brigham to provide expert critical care. We’re also prepared to accommodate and care for twins, triplets, and higher-order multiples.

We offer extensive services to protect your baby’s health and compassionate care to support your family during this difficult time.

Part of Mass General Brigham for Children

What to expect at our NICU

You are a key part of your baby’s care and recovery. Caregivers who have the required NICU security clearance are welcome at any time.

You may participate in:

  • Daily patient rounds with a multidisciplinary team, including a neonatologist, bedside nurse, advanced practice providers, trainees, and other care team members.
  • Formal sit-down meetings to discuss your baby’s care plan with the multidisciplinary team.
  • Ongoing communication and support from a dedicated social worker and family support specialist.

Our approach to neonatal intensive care

Caregivers are the most important members of their baby’s care team. We support and guide you in learning how to care for your baby, including how to safely touch, hold, and feed them as much as possible. Our expert staff will also help you understand the best ways to support your baby’s recovery, growth, and development.
Life-saving neonatal treatments

Our NICUs offer advanced therapies, including;

  • Airway evaluation to manage acquired or congenital aerodigestive disorders.
  • Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), developed in part by Mass General Brigham experts, to support lung function in infants with reversible respiratory failure.
  • Inhaled nitric oxide to treat persistent pulmonary high blood pressure, respiratory distress, aspiration, pneumonia, sepsis, and congenital diaphragmatic hernia.
  • Retina surgery and laser treatments to treat retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).
  • Therapeutic hypothermia to treat hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).
Dedicated developmental services for at-risk newborns

Our experts support the health and growth of at-risk infants from birth to three years. Your baby may be at risk if they arrived earlier than their due date (preterm or premature birth) or had unexpected medical problems.

Our care teams work closely with your family and your baby’s doctor to provide ongoing support and education. We can help with:

  • Early intervention services
  • Growth and development
  • Medical, neurological, and developmental issues
  • Nutrition and feeding issues
  • Referrals to audiology, neurology, orthopedics, physical therapy, speech therapy, and other specialties
Support for your family

We offer services to support your family while your baby receives NICU care and after they go home.

These include:

  • Angel Eye camera system in our Mass General-based NICU allows families to see and hear their baby when they are away from the NICU.
  • Dedicated parent space at each infant’s bedside in our Mass General–based NICU, so families can stay close throughout their baby’s stay. At Brigham and Women’s Hospital, private NICU rooms provide space for families to remain with their baby.
  • Lactation services to ensure success in the NICU and when your baby goes home.
  • Growth and development services to address any medical, neurological, developmental, and nutritional issues.
  • Reading program to help stimulate your baby’s brain development while in the NICU.
  • Skin-to-skin care (kangaroo care) to support caregiver-baby bonding.
Specialized care for twins, triplets, and other multiples

We’re the region’s most experienced health care system in twin, triplet, and higher multiple order births, delivering more than 200 sets of multiples each year. We provide complete prenatal and newborn care for families of multiples.

We designed our NICU with your family’s comfort and needs in mind. You can be with your babies 24/7 in a spacious private room for twins and triplets. Your babies may also benefit from our NICU growth and development services as well as NICU follow-up care.

Patient transport

Mass General Brigham, in partnership with Boston MedFlight, provides rapid transfer and expert care for critically ill infants needing advanced care at Mass General Brigham.

Our experienced multidisciplinary team works with referring physicians to provide consultation and transfer of newborns to one of our specialized NICUs.

Specialized care near you

Access care across Mass General Brigham, with specialized services available at community hospitals and leading academic medical centers. No matter your disease or condition, our specialists are nearby and ready to help.
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