Neonatology Department
Overview
The neonatal period is from birth to 28 days of age. Under the changes of the living environment, the health of newborns progresses during this period and needs continuous monitoring, especially for children with medical conditions.
Understanding that importance, all doctors of the Neonatology Department at University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City Hospital (BV ĐHYD) always place comprehensive protection for the safety of children as the core for development. Its predecessor was the Neonatal Unit under the Obstetrics Department; the Neonatology Department was established with a standard model in treatment and comprehensive care of newborns.
Accompanying mothers in cases where newborns need therapeutic intervention such as second mothers, the child will be treated, cared for, and nurtured by an experienced team of doctors and nurses. Each year, the Neonatology Department receives more than 1,000 inpatient cases and over 6,000 outpatient visits, helping children overcome the difficult early stages of life.
Strength
Specifically, the Neonatology Department plays an important role in closely coordinating with the Obstetrics Department to provide emergency care and welcome newborns. The highly specialized medical team and modern equipment are always ready to respond to high‑risk pregnancy cases, participating in resuscitation of infants under harmonious interdisciplinary collaboration between Obstetrics and Neonatology.
In addition, the Department provides specialized treatment for premature infants; infants with respiratory failure; infectious diseases; jaundiced infants; infants with congenital anomalies such as neurological or cardiovascular defects, especially early intervention methods for infants with complex congenital heart disease through collaboration of three fields: obstetrics, neonatology, and cardiology.
Furthermore, the Department has developed care services for premature infants using pain reduction methods, early Kangaroo care – skin‑to‑skin therapy, and massage therapy to promote healthy development. Notably, to ensure safety, the Department directly monitors the child’s development from birth up to two years of age.
Training & Research
Understanding that sustainable development lies in a high‑quality workforce, the Department provides conditions for healthcare staff to continuously improve their skills and knowledge. Families are always given thorough guidance on care methods such as how to breastfeed, how to maintain breast milk supply... Upon discharge, families are carefully instructed on home care considerations such as emergency response to choking on milk, recognizing dangers when the child is ill, and fever.
In addition to treatment work, the Department sends doctors for advanced training, attends seminars and conferences to share experiences and learn advanced treatment methods. At the same time, the Department also emphasizes the importance of community health education.
Equipments
To care for infants under the most stable conditions, the Department must create a safe environment, similar to the mother’s body in temperature, humidity, light, and sound. Currently, the Department has three treatment rooms with care levels ranging from mild to severe, linked and sequential.
Outpatient clinic: a beautifully decorated, quiet room, suitable for health counseling and treatment for community children with conditions in the neonatal stage.
Neonatal care room: for milder cases, babies who have stabilized from the neonatal intensive care unit are transferred here for continued care and treatment. The room is equipped with a golden‑skin lamp with good effect, enabling rapid treatment and shortening the hospital stay of the child.
Neonatal intensive care unit: located within the delivery room area, facilitating the admission of severely ill newborns immediately after birth, premature infants with high‑frequency ventilators, invasive or non‑invasive ventilators, resuscitation equipment in the delivery room, warming beds, continuous monitoring devices…
At the Department, these little angels are always comprehensively cared for with all the love and enthusiasm of leading experts alongside the support of the most modern machinery and equipment. The entire medical team of the Neonatology Department of University Medical Center has become a second mother, giving life to thousands of babies.