Neonatologists are pediatricians with special expertise in caring for sick or premature infants. Our neonatologists are world leaders in caring for babies requiring intensive care after birth. The UCSF Division of Neonatology was founded around creation of the William H. Tooley Intensive Care Nursery in 1964. It was founded in collaboration with the
Cardiovascular Research Institute (CVRI). Over the past 50 years UCSF has developed many benchmarks in Neonatal research and care. See the UCSF Neonatology History of Firsts.
Neuro-Intensive Care Nursery
Birth-related neurological injury is
the leading cause of mental retardation and cerebral palsy in the United States. The UCSF Neuro-Intensive Care Nursery offers a new standard of
care for patients and addresses concerns of families confronted with the
possibility of neurological injury in their newborn. Our goal is to create the
most comprehensive possible assessment and treatment program in the United
States.
Neonatal Follow-Up Care
The Intensive Care Nursery (ICN) Follow-Up Program assesses the neurodevelopmental progress of infants discharged from the Intensive Care Nursery. Infants who are followed for growth and development include those weighing less than 1500 grams at birth, infants requiring ECMO treatment, infants receiving fetal surgical intervention and other at-risk infants.
Developmental Care
The Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program is a research-based, systems-based, education and consultation program. The goal of the program is to serve the developmental needs of high risk and full-term newborns. We provide family centered developmental care in a framework which is supportive to infants and their families.
Fetal Treatment
The Division of Neonatology at UCSF is closely affiliated with the Fetal Treatment Center, which provides expertise before birth for fetuses with birth defects.