The Woman's Hospital of Texas launches dedicated Small Baby Unit

The Woman’s Hospital of Texas proudly announced the opening of its specialized Small Baby Unit within the Level IV Advanced Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). This dedicated unit is designed to provide enhanced care for infants born as early as 22 weeks gestation or those weighing less than 1,000 grams (2.2 pounds).

Specialized Features of the Small Baby Unit:

• Expert Medical Team: A multidisciplinary team, including neonatologists, nurse practitioners, neonatal nurses, respiratory therapists, occupational therapists, social workers, and case managers, all with specialized training in caring for micro-preemies.
• Advanced Equipment: Utilization of specialized breathing machines and Giraffe Omnibeds to create a stable microenvironment. 
• Optimized Environment: Implementation of lower lighting and reduced noise levels to mimic the womb, promoting neurodevelopment. 
• Controlled Access: Minimized guest foot traffic to ensure a serene and stable setting for these vulnerable infants.

The Woman’s Hospital of Texas’ NICU team has demonstrated exceptional outcomes, with a 69% survival rate for infants born before 23 weeks in 2024, surpassing the national average of 52.8% as reported by the American Academy of Pediatrics. This achievement underscores the team’s expertise, dedication, and commitment to advancing neonatal care.

“We are very fortunate to have dedicated staff at The Woman’s Hospital of Texas, along with the support of the hospital administrators, to help bring the Small Baby Unit to our hospital,” said Dr. Amy Urban, Physician at The Woman’s Hospital of Texas. “Our multidisciplinary team includes neonatologists, nurse practitioners, neonatal nurses, respiratory therapists, occupational therapists, social workers, and case managers who have undergone specialized training to learn the best practices for caring for these micro-preemies. It has been a wonderful, inspirational journey to see so many individuals work together to help bring this to fruition. We also offer our NICU parents an additional layer of support through the March of Dimes NICU Family Support Program. We wanted to bring this to The Woman’s Hospital of Texas as a place of hope for families to give these babies a chance.”

By introducing the Small Baby Unit, The Woman’s Hospital of Texas continues to lead in neonatal care, offering hope and advanced medical support to families during critical times. As a Level IV Advanced NICU, one of only 24 in the state, The Woman’s Hospital of Texas is able to offer the highest level of care available for newborns who are premature, critically-ill, or have a life-threatening health condition.

The establishment of the Small Baby Unit aligns The Woman’s Hospital of Texas with other leading institutions that have developed similar programs to improve outcomes for extremely premature infants. Although the hospital has been caring for micro-preemies for years, by introducing the Small Baby Unit, The Woman’s Hospital of Texas continues to lead in neonatal care, offering hope and advanced medical support to families during critical times.