Vulnerable newborns to get dedicated care at hospital
Queen Mary Hospital has set up a multi-disciplinary team of professionals to look after babies born prematurely, while providing psychological and even palliative support for parents in case of emergencies. The 43-strong team comprises obstetric and paediatric healthcare professionals, clinical psychologists, and social workers. It has helped the parents of over 20 babies since 2021. The team springs into action whenever a baby is delivered between 23 and 25 weeks, the so-called periviability interval where medical intervention is often needed in order for the newborn to survive. Up to a quarter of the infants also develop severe disabilities later on. Leading the team is Mimi Seto, an associate consultant at the hospital's Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. She said apart from caring for premature babies, the team also intervenes by delaying pre-term labour for expecting mothers by prescribing them medication. "[We use] antenatal steroid drugs to enhance the fetal lung maturity, and give them magnesium sulfate for neuroprotection," she explained. "If needed, if [the mothers] are in pre-term labour, having regular contractions, we might also give the mother tocolytic therapy, which is a drug to stop the uterus from contracting." The logic, Seto said, is to allow the baby to receive sufficient prenatal treatment. But she admitted tocolytic therapy may have side effects to the mother, even though it is safe most of the time. In some cases, the hospital also provides palliative care to parents, including counselling. Seto suggested all mothers-to-be, especially those with a history of pre-term birth, to seek antenatal care as soon as their pregnancy begins and follow the advice by obstetricians.