Piedmont Cartersville Opens Level II NICU Offering Specialized Care for Pre-Term Babies in Bartow, Surrounding Counties
Cartersville, Ga. – Piedmont Cartersville Medical Center opened a new four-bed Level II NICU, Special Care Nursery, to care for pre-term infants born in Bartow and surrounding counties, and keep these families close to home for specialized care.
“When parents have a baby born prematurely, requiring special care, we want to be able to keep these families close to home and their support system,” said Lori Rakes, CEO of Piedmont Cartersville. “This new NICU will allow us to provide exceptional care for our smallest patients.”
According to the March of Dimes, in 2023, 10.4% of all live births in Bartow County were pre-term, meaning less than 37 weeks of pregnancy, which is about 1 out of every 8 babies. Babies born prematurely often haven’t fully developed and need specialized care to continue to thrive.
“In the new special care nursery, our group of neonatologists, physicians who have special training in neonatal (newborn) care, are available continuously for ongoing care and in case of emergencies,” said Babatunde Sobowale, M.D., a neonatologist at Piedmont Cartersville.
Level II NICUs, also called special care nurseries, care for babies born at 32 to 35 weeks’ gestation, and are suited for babies who have moderate medical issues and are expected to recover fairly quickly.
The new Level II NICU can care for stable or moderately ill newborn infants born at or after 32 weeks’ gestation and who weigh at least 1,500 grams (3.3 pounds); babies who are full-term but who require close monitoring for issues like jaundice or trouble staying warm; and newborns whose problems are expected to resolve rapidly and are not expected to need sub-specialty level services (like a pediatric heart or breathing specialist) urgently. Level II NICU resources and services include assisted or mechanical ventilation (to help the patient breathe) on a short-term basis, preferably under 24 hours and some specialized equipment, for example a portable X-ray machine and blood gas analyzer.
If a baby is born before 32 weeks, or requires a level III NICU or advanced care, Piedmont has the ability to stabilize these babies and transfer them to another facility until the baby is well enough to return.
“We are grateful to be able to continue to expand our facility to meet the needs of our growing community and make a positive difference in every life we touch,” said Rakes.
To learn more about Piedmont Cartersville, visit
piedmont.org/cartersville.
