The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Pediatric Ward at the Akureyri Hospital is very well equipped to receive very sick premature babies and newborns and prepare them for transfer to the LSH's Intensive Care Unit if necessary. "We have two incubators, a resuscitation table, a ventilator, CPAP, a light lamp, a heating mattress and a complete travel nanny with all the equipment for transporting sick newborns between hospitals," says Elma Rún Ingvarsdóttir, specialist in pediatric nursing at the pediatric ward at SAk. "We always have to be prepared for the birth of a very sick child and we work closely with the Emergency Department of LSH. However, the situation is such that we need to renew some of our devices here, and that costs money," says Elma Rún.

The only intensive care unit for newborns outside the intensive care unit of Landsspítali

A premature baby is a baby born before the full 37 weeks of pregnancy. The reasons for premature births are not always known, but it may be that the mother is sick with preeclampsia, the cervix may give way, there is an infection in the fetal capsule or that it is a multiple birth. The pediatric ward at SAk accepts children born after 34 weeks of pregnancy, but if it is foreseeable that a child will be born before that time, it is sent in the mother's womb, i.e. mother sent to LSH to deliver the baby there.

Every year, about 35-65 newborns are born at SAk who need to be admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit. Contrary to what many people think, premature babies usually do not need resuscitation during birth, but primarily support to adapt to life after birth. They need help keeping warm, feeding and sometimes breathing support. Their parents also need support and presence. In the children's ward, they receive help in caring for their child and often have to learn new techniques such as tube feeding, adapt to a high-tech environment and sometimes go home with additional equipment such as a tube and breathing monitor.

"The life expectancy of premature babies in Iceland is very high. It is, of course, the case that the longer a child is in the womb, the better, and as a result, there is a greater chance that everything will go well. A child who is born after 32 weeks usually does not have many problems, but there is a considerably longer pregnancy and more that can occur if the child is born after 24 weeks of pregnancy," says Elma Rún.

The facilities at SAk are very good for premature babies and parents

The pediatric ward also cares for premature babies who were born in Reykjavík before the 34th week and spent the first days of life in the intensive care unit of LSH, but who live here in the region. Then they come to SAk for a so-called "growth nursery". There, the child and parents receive support and care while the child grows and thrives. Sometimes the child is monitored, with a feeding tube and learning to feed himself.

"When children reach the stage of being in the so-called "growth nursery", they go into the nursery with their parents. The facilities are equipped for parents to be together as a family with their child and can take care of it together with our help. This applies both to the children who are born here and start in our intensive care unit and to the children who come from the south to finish their stay here," says Elma Rún.

The ward has one expert in pediatric nursing who is specially trained in nursing newborns and another who is in advanced studies in that field. Both have worked at the Vökudeild LSH with their jobs at SAk and therefore have a good connection with the ward. "Then we also have various parties here internally to support and help parents. Midwives come and help mothers with breastfeeding and various things related to the mother herself, social workers talk to parents and review their rights, depending on the needs of the family," says Elma Rún.

Parents promise personal service in the children's department

"We usually get good reviews from parents, they feel that they get personal service since the department is small and there are few employees who attend to the family. Being able to offer families a room in a "growth center" where a child and parents can be together is also a good thing for people, as well as having the option of being in their own community. Of course, it must be taken into account that this is often a very difficult time for parents, it can be many weeks that they have to stay in hospital, even some time before the child is born because the mother has been sick during pregnancy and then if the child is born many weeks ahead of time," says Elma Rún in conclusion.

More information about premature babies can be found here (Icelandic only).