Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine

Neonatal-perinatal medicine focuses on intensive care for premature babies or critically ill newborns. Doctors who provide these services are called neonatologists.  The neonatologists at MaineHealth are highly skilled and passionate about caring for newborns and mothers with high-risk pregnancies.  

What do neonatologists do?

Neonatologists care for fragile infants, including babies born prematurely, with a birth defect or a serious illness. All of these factors put babies at a higher risk for further health complications. They stabilize newborns, make sure that they are getting the best nutrition to heal and grow, and treat medical conditions.

Neonatologists at MaineHealth Maine Medical Center

MaineHealth neonatologists work in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at MaineHealth Maine Medical Center Portland. The care team includes anesthesiologists, neonatologists and pediatric surgeons available 24 hours a day. They have the skills, expertise and compassion to care for the most fragile infants. Our NICU at Maine Medical Center is the only one in Maine supported by the March of Dimes Family Support Program. We have a staff member who focuses on the parents and their needs.

What conditions are treated in the NICU?

• Premature birth
• Birth defects (including spina bifida, cleft lip, and congenital heart disease)
• Omphalocele (defect of the abdominal wall that makes some of the abdominal organs protrude outside of their body)
• Gastroschisis (defect of the abdominal wall that makes the intestines protrude outside of the body)
• Tracheoesophageal fistula (affects the connection between the windpipe and esophagus)
• Breathing problems or trouble with airways
• Infections
• Perinatal asphyxia (the baby is not getting enough oxygen at birth)
• Kidney diseases
• Conditions that need complex surgery
   

Your baby’s care team will discuss your baby’s progress and options with you and your family. There are different treatment options unique to each specific health condition.