Children's of Minnesota has the largest high-risk neonatal referral center in the region. The combined bed capacity for the neonatal units on the Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses that are staffed and managed by Children's is 138 beds.

Neonatal care is a leading program at Children's, called a cornerstone program. These are major programs meeting rigorous criteria for excellence, including clinical research, use of advanced technology, and evidence-based practice. The program encompasses four inpatient units: the Minneapolis Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), the St. Paul NICU, the Minneapolis Infant Care Center (ICC) and the Special Care Nursery at Abbott Northwestern Hospital (SCN).

Both Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) are a part of the comprehensive high-and low-risk perinatal programs that are provided in conjunction with Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis and United Hospital in St. Paul.

The neonatal service line is comprised of 20 neonatologists, 85 neonatal nurse practitioners, and more than 500 nurses and support staff. Children's neonatologists provide on-site coverage 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

• Program Staff
• Unit Profiles
• Our Outcomes
• About the Neonatal Intensive Care Units (PDF)
• Research Report (PDF)

 Micro Preemies

Among the infants defined as very premature, Children's neonatal team delivers some of the highest survival and lowest complication rates in the world. Very premature infants, sometimes referred to as "micro preemies," are those who are born between 22 and 29 weeks gestation and frequently weigh less than 1,500 grams at birth.

• Researchers Find "Micro Preemie" Infant Outcomes Improve Over Long-term Due to Quality Improvement Collaborative
• Children's NICU, Dr. Hoekstra's micro preemie study, in local and national spotlight
• Video: Children's NICU, Dr. Hoekstra's micro preemie study, on Inside Edition
• Elissa's Story: A micro preemie miracle, all grown up
• Alicia's Story: I was delivered four months early.
• Charlie's Story: At 1-pound, 13-ounces, I was classified as a micro-preemie
• Jonathan's Story: At birth, I weighed just over 2 pounds

Clinical Services

Premature infants have many special needs that increase the level of care required. The services and treatments offered increase the chance of survival while reducing the risks of serious long-term complications. Services offered at Children's include: