Saint Vincent special care nursery designation upgraded
Photo | Grant Welker
Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester
The special care nursery at Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester has been designated as able to care for babies born as early as 32 weeks.
Saint Vincent was previously a Level IIA, when it could care for babies born as early as 34 weeks. In addition to a slightly earlier window for care, the new designation of IIB means the hospital can offer a higher level of respiratory support, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
At 32 weeks, a baby would be born around two months early.
The most advanced levels of newborn care in hospitals are Level IV, which includes Massachusetts General Hospital and Boston Children's Hospital, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Level III includes UMass Memorial Medical Center, the only hospital with that high level designation in Central Massachusetts, along with others including Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, and Baystate Medical Center in Springfield. Level III nurseries can care for babies born before 32 weeks.
Saint Vincent received another notable designation this summer for its Center for Women and Infants when it was named a baby-friendly hospital by Baby-Friendly USA, a group advocating for breastfeeding. It is one of 19 Massachusetts hospitals to receive the designation, and the only one in Central Massachusetts.
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