How Delivery Hospitals Have Made It Birthing Easy

Maternity and birthing is a process that brings into the world the first cry of an infant – a moment that marks progress, joy and stability in lives of families. Whenever a baby is planned there are certain financial forecasts that need to be worked on meticulously as the costs involved in birthing and delivery can often leave a new parent worried. With special wards, units, branches and buildings specially dedicated to birthing, lactation and childcare, one can be confident in case of issues such as premature births, children born with birth defects, incubation, child care units, neonatology intensive care units and other specialized treatments. 

While all this can be overwhelming for a parent, it also assures of the fact that every risk will be taken care of. The science behind birthing and delivery has changed and progressed beyond measure as the best delivery hospitals in Mumbai have taken a step towards safer, cleaner and world-class birthing measures. At the same time, as costs and financial planning also is a factor that cannot be foregone, the best often comes with a price that can make situations uncomfortable once the couple leaves the hospital with a newborn. The unsettling costs that hospitals bill in today’s time are staggering. Therefore, as parents, a planned budget should be of utmost priority without compromising on the quality.

 

Mumbai being the financial capital of India presents a challenge for cost-effective delivery charges. Though there is a dearth of best cost of delivery hospital in Mumbai,one can be assured of Surya Mother and Child Care Super Speciality Hospital’s presence. One of the most established and renowned delivery hospital in the city, the child care setup boasts of the best experts in the industry with an extensive background on labour, lactation, birthing, child care and post-natal care for mothers. They are proficient in this field and promises one of the simplest and ultimate birthing experiences giving parents a reason to celebrate life. They stand true to their motto “Beginning with Care” because life’s paramount gift requires paramount care.

Surya Mother and Child Care Super Speciality Hospital is one of the fastest growing and trusted name in the field of advanced paediatrics and neonatology. With their presence in Mumbai and Pune, the team of doctors assure safety in all respects promising the best clinicalcare in town. It is also comforting for parents as the hospital takes steps to ensure best cost of delivery that one can find in the city. After all, a matter as delicate and critical as birthing has to be in trusted hands and what can be better than Surya Mother and Child Care Super Speciality Hospital.

INCREDIBLE STORY OF A MICRO PREEMIE

India accounts for 20% of global live births. It accounts for 24% of global preterm births. Prematurity rate in India (birth before 37 completed weeks of gestation) is 13%. 

Approximately 25 million babies are born in India per annum. India’s current infant mortality rate (death before 1 year of age) is 42/ 1000 live births and neonatal mortality rate (death in first 28 days of life, neonatal period) is 29/ 1000 live births. This means 0.72 million neonatal deaths, 1.05 million infant deaths occur in India every year.90% of neonatal deaths occur from preventable causes (prematurity, birth asphyxia,infection, pneumonia and diarrhea)   35% of neonatal deaths are due to prematurity and can be prevented.The number ‘Twenty three’ could sound unimpressive to the common man.  However survival of a preterm infant born at 23 weeks is considered the pinnacle of quality newborn intensive care worldwide. 


Even developed countries would not revive babies premature than this, since the chances of survival and normal development is bleak. When baby Sakshi was born on 5^th May 2015 at 23 weeks of age with a birth weight of 460 grams, (with a length of 30cms and head circumference of 20 cms) no one could have imagined that she would turn out to be the smallest survivor in this country, India. This is the story of an ultimate fighter that the NICU at Surya Mother and Child Care has witnessed over the last 25 years.

Baby Sakshi was born premature at 5.5 months (23⁺¹ weeks) of pregnancy. This child was probably the only hope for Trupti and Santosh after 12 years of marriage and 5 failed attempts at getting pregnant. The delivery was conducted by the obstetric team at Surya Mother and Child Care.  

Parents were counseled prior to delivery regarding possible outcomes of babies born at 23 weeks of gestation. Parents always wanted to take minimum possible chance. Neonatal team at Surya revived this child in the labour room and after initial stabilization, transferred the child to the NICU at 10 min of age. Infant was given one dose of life saving medication surfactant in the lung to help with breathing difficulty due underdeveloped lungs.  Sakshi spent her early months in the midst of tubes, lines, fluids, blood, medications, dressings, monitors and ultrasound scans. She survived all odds to overcome  immature lungs, infection, bleed in the brain, poor growth, drops in hemoglobin, fragile bones  and immaturity of  virtually every other organ in the body. The burden of intensive care was at least 1000 times heavier than the baby herself.  After 6 weeks of ventilator support and 12 weeks of breathing support with oxygen, Sakshi finally got what she always wanted- mother’s cuddle. The incubator in Surya NICU that sheltered Sakshi for the first 3 months was her first house in Mumbai.

It takes much more than sophisticated neonatal intensive care to save such premature babies. Optimal delivery room care, state of the art transport facilities, strict infection control, better infant nutrition, and above all national interest is required to improve survival in such extremely preterm babies. This baby was delivered at Surya Mother and Child care and then retrieved to Surya NICU at 10 minutes of age and was commenced on ventilatory support and adequate nutritional support was initiated at the earliest.  Carbohydrates, fats, proteins and other nutrients were provided ­through intravenous access secured through central lines prior to initiation of milk feeds through feeding tube. However, the most crucial element of this survival experience was the exceptionally meticulous effort by a team of at least 15 doctors and nurses at Surya NICU. It has taken over 85000 person hours of hard work to see Sakshi get to 1.9 kg and take feeds orally without oxygen.

 The smallest reported survivor by maturity in India at 24 weeks of gestation was reported from same hospital in 2011. The smallest surviving triplets reported were also from Surya NICU. Few other survivors have also been reported lately at 24 weeks from some good centers in this country. However, Sakshi is the smallest survivor reported in our country at 23 weeks and 460 grams. Baby is currently doing well, is ready for discharge and will require regular follow up at least until 1.5 years of age

Sakshi’s story highlights the fact that excellence in neonatal care similar to the developed countries is achievable in India despite all odds and economic constraints. Timely in-utero transfer of mother tomaternity centres specializing in newborn care is of utmost importance. Sakshi’s survival should encourage doctors to never give up on an extremely preterm baby born at the limits of viability, because it is hard to predict how small is too small to survive!!!!!