Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 16, 2026
Clinical Practice Protocol of Creative Music Therapy for Preterm Infants and Their Parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Published on: January 7, 2020
Development of a small baby unit to improve outcomes for the extremely premature infant
Omid Fathi1, Leif D Nelin1,2, Edward G Shepherd1
1Small Baby Unit, Division of Neonatology at Nationwide Children's Hospital and Department of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA.
Insights
Survival rates for extremely premature (EP) infants have significantly improved. Establishing a dedicated small baby unit optimizes care, enhancing neurodevelopmental outcomes and reducing morbidities for these vulnerable infants.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Perinatology
- Pediatric Intensive Care
Background:
- Infant survival rates for extremely premature (EP) infants, including those born at 23-24 weeks gestation, have markedly improved.
- Historically, infants born at these gestations were considered non-viable, but advancements now support their survival.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the establishment and sustainability of a small baby program within a quaternary referral neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
- To detail the multi-disciplinary approach in developing uniform, evidence-based guidelines for EP infant care.
- To highlight the impact of parent-centered care and reduced noxious stimuli on neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Development of institutional guidelines through multi-disciplinary collaboration for EP infants.
- Implementation of a dedicated small baby unit focused on optimized, evidence-based care.
- Integration of data collection, quality improvement initiatives, and ongoing research.
Main Results:
- Improved survival rates for extremely premature infants in the region.
- Decreased incidence of short-term morbidities among EP infants.
- Enhanced neurodevelopmental outcomes attributed to specialized care and parent-centered approaches.
Conclusions:
- The establishment of a specialized small baby unit significantly improves survival and reduces morbidities in extremely premature infants.
- A multi-disciplinary, evidence-based approach, coupled with parent-centered care, is crucial for optimizing neurodevelopmental outcomes.
- Continuous data collection and quality improvement are essential for sustaining best practices in EP infant care.
Abstract:
Survival and outcomes for extremely premature (EP) infants have improved and even infants born at 23 and 24 weeks that were previously considered non-viable are now routinely surviving. This review describes our particular institution's basis for and process of creating and sustaining a small baby program for a quaternary, referral-based neonatal intensive care unit. Through multi-disciplinary collaboration, small baby guidelines were developed that established uniform care and optimized evidence-based practice for the care of this unique patient population. A focus on parent-centered care while removing noxious stimuli for the patient has improved neurodevelopmental outcomes. Data collection, quality improvement, and ongoing research are incorporated in the small baby program to establish and sustain best practices and outcomes for the EP patient. Through the establishment of a small baby unit, we have improved survival, decreased short-term morbidities, and improved neurodevelopmental outcomes for the EP infant in our region.
