Nicklaus Children's Hospital Opens Special Delivery Unit for High-Risk Infants

On this photo from left to right: Jack and Barbara Nicklaus, Dr. Saima Aftab, Medical Director of the Fetal Care Center; Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez and Dr. Narendra Kini, CEO of Nicklaus Children’s Health System (NCHS).

Nicklaus Children's Hospital's Fetal Care Center unveiled its new special delivery unit for high-risk infants on Friday, May 24. This specialized birthing unit – one of only a few such units nationwide – serves healthy mothers expecting an infant diagnosed with complex medical needs requiring advanced pediatric care immediately after birth. The unit enables families to stay together through birth, maternal recovery and specialized infant care.

“The opening of this unit marks the conclusion of years of planning and development.  We are grateful to all who have provided support and expertise to make this a reality for the patients and families in our care," said Dr. Narendra Kini, Chief Executive Officer of Nicklaus Children's Health System. 

 

From left to right: April Andrews-Singh, General Counsel, Sr. Vice President for Legal and Governmental Affairs and Chief Compliance Officer for NCHS; Nancy Humbert, Executive Vice President of Ambulatory Services and External Affiliations for NCHS; Mr. Alex Soto, Board Chairman, Pediatric Specialists of America; Dr. Saima Aftab, Medical Director of the Fetal Care Center; Jack and Barbara Nicklaus of the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation;  Dr. M. Narendra Kini, Chief Executive Officer for NCHS,  Mr. Jose Perdomo, Interim President and COO, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital; Patty McDonald, President of the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation.

Dr. Saima Aftab, Medical Director of the Fetal Care Center, said, "We are honored to provide this much-needed continuum of care for parents of infants with complex medical needs. Not only does it help create better outcomes for our most fragile babies in the community, it helps mothers to stay close to their newborns after delivery."

The new unit, located on the hospital's main campus, includes five labor and delivery rooms, five antepartum rooms, and two operating rooms. The hospital works with community obstetricians to coordinate a plan of care for the infant before, during and after delivery. Newborns have immediate access to the hospital's Beacon-Award recognized critical care units (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Cardiac Intensive Care Unit and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit), as well as other specialized programs within the hospital's pediatric network.

Among those who attended the grand opening celebration were Jack and Barbara Nicklaus, hospital namesakes and longstanding supporters; Mr. Larry De George and his wife Lorena De George, and Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez.

 

For more information about the Fetal Care Center, please visit www.nicklauschildrens.org/FetalCare.

About Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, Where Children Matter Most (2024)

Founded in 1950 by Variety Clubs International, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital is South Florida’s only licensed specialty hospital exclusively for children, with approximately 850 attending physicians, including more than 500 pediatric subspecialists. The 307-bed hospital is renowned for excellence in all aspects of pediatric medicine with many specialty programs routinely ranked among the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report since 2008. The hospital is also home to the largest pediatric teaching program in the southeastern United States and since 2003 has been designated an American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet facility, the nursing profession’s most prestigious institutional honor. For more information, please visit www.nicklauschildrens.org.