Tuesday, March 5 2013

THE sextuplets born at the Mt Hope Women’s Hospital will need a “sophisticated” level of support in their treatment. This is the view of Neonatologist Dr Petronella Manning-Alleyne. Although she was not involved in the case, she was asked to give her views on the births, given her vast experience in treating premature newborns while working as a Neonatologist in the public health sector.

(Neonatology is a sub specialty of paediatrics that consists of the medical care of newborn infants, especially the ill or premature newborn infants.) Manning-Alleyne said since the six babies all spent the same amount of time in the womb their outcomes would be the same. She described the babies as “tiny” since their birth weight was just over one pound.

“They are all less than 800 grammes that means they would need special care. I don’t know the state of MHW.

They need a particular level of expertise.” Manning-Alleyne said treating the six babies would mean the resources — physical as well as medical instruments etc of the hospital would be “taxed.”

However, she said the North-Central Regional Health Authority had ample opportunity to put things in place as it anticipated the day of the birth.

“In the final analysis babies that size will have to spend a good three months minimum in the hospital,” Manning-Alleyne said. Babies with small birth weight can experience a range of medical complications.

They can require ventilator support for breathing issues, have temperature control problems and “bowel issues after a few days.”