At Mitera Hospital, our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) provides care for babies who need special attention right after birth. Some of the reasons include preterm birth, low birth weight, breathing difficulty, low blood sugar and infections.

Our level 2 beds in the nursery provide care for babies who are convalescing but who continue to require the services of a specialized hospital. The NICU team participates in all births when it is expected that the baby may experience difficulties. The NICU team also meet with mothers before the birth of their baby to discuss the care that their baby will need and what the family can expect after the baby is born.

Family integrated care is the philosophy that is guiding how we provide care for the infants in our NICU. Parents are encouraged to be active members of the team that takes care of their infant whilst in our unit. Our nurses understand the unique medical needs of infants and can teach parents to understand how best to care for your babies.

Most babies admitted to the NICU are premature (born before 37 weeks of pregnancy), have low birth weight (less than 2500 grams), or have a medical condition that requires special care. In Kerala, nowadays a large number of babies are born preterm, and many of these babies also have low birth weights. Twins, triplets and other multiples often are admitted to the NICU, as they tend to be born earlier and smaller than single birth babies.

Muted lights, minimized noise and an environment that encourages bonding makes our NICU a model for other NICU’s throughout the country. This type of environment, among other things, has been shown to improve the survival of critically ill infants and helps babies get better faster.