The Albert Katz Department of Neonatology
The Albert Katz Department of Neonatology
The Albert Katz Department of Neonatology at Sheba Medical Center is one of the largest neonatal centers in Israel. The department comprises facilities to treat premature infants, provide intermediate care, and care for full term infants born with major congenital malformations. Approximately 10,000 newborn babies are treated every year.
For the past six years in a row, the Department of Neonatology has been awarded distinction by the Ministry of Health for being an exceptional unit, recognized in particular for a low infection rate, advanced infrastructure, and an expert staff of neonatal doctors.
In addition to physicians, the comprehensive medical team also features specialized nurses, social workers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, a psychologist, a communication clinician, pharmacist and dietitian. Throughout each infant’s hospitalization, full parental involvement is supported and encouraged.
The Edmond and Lily Safra Children’s Hospital
The Department of Neonatology is located within the Edmond and Lily Safra Children’s Hospital, a state-of-the-art facility at Sheba Medical Center dedicated entirely to children and their families. In this advanced hospital, we provide compassionate, premier medical services within a calm, cheerful environment that was designed with kids in mind.
Other departments in the Safra Children’s Hospital include:
- Pediatric Rehabilitation Department >
- Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes Clinic
- Department of Pediatric Surgery
- The Edmond J. Safra International Congenital Heart Center >
- Pediatric Hemato-Oncology Department >
- The Claudio Cohen Department of Pediatric Intensive Care
- The Raphael Cohen Pediatric Emergency Department
- The Pediatric Psychosomatic Department
- The Albert Katz Department of Neonatology
- The Weinberg Child Development Center
- The Pediatric Pulmonary Unit >
- The Pediatric Metabolic Disease
- The Pediatric Gastroenterology Unit >
- The Pediatric Nephrology Unit >
- The Pediatric Rheumatology Department
- The Pediatric Infectious Disease Unit
- The Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit
- The Institute for Rare Diseases
- The Pediatric Stem Cell Research Institute
- The Institute of Pediatric Cardiology
- The Pediatric Community Medicine Unit
Specialized Units of the Department of Neonatology
Intensive Care Unit
The Intensive Care Unit provides comprehensive care for tiny premature infants born in weeks 23-25 of pregnancy. The smallest baby treated in this department weighed only 415 grams at birth, and is currently growing and developing nicely. Our neonatal doctors also treat newborns who are not premature and are born at a normal weight, but suffer from birth defects or conditions requiring intensive care.
Once the condition of a premature infant stabilizes, the baby is moved from the ICU to one of three additional rooms located in the department. Care in these rooms consists primarily of building nourishment, increasing weight, monitoring breathing and preparing for discharge. Parents are welcome at all hours of the day.
The unit is equipped with 12 hospitalization stations, precise monitoring devices, 12 respirators, and the option of nonconventional ventilation with nitric oxide inhalation.
Intermediate Care Unit
All newborns are brought immediately to the intermediate care unit for a few hours after birth. These hours are regarded as a transition period from fetal life to newborn life outside the womb. The intermediate care unit also enables neonatal doctors to monitor infants classified as high risk, such as babies who:
- Weigh less than 2 kg or more than 4 kg
- Are born with meconial amniotic fluid
- Have low Apgar scores
- Have mothers with diabetes
- Have an excess amount of blood
- Have trouble breathing
- Are after a difficult birth
In this ward, we provide attentive care for healthy premature infants who still need to grow before they can be discharged to their homes or transferred to the newborn unit. Parents are welcome at all hours of the day.
Newborn Unit
The Department of Neonatology at Sheba Medical Center is the only place in Israel that performs hearing tests on all newborns. Research has proven that early detection of a hearing disorder (before the age of 3 months) significantly improves the child’s speech and hearing later on.
Following initial examination and monitoring of body temperature, newborns are transferred to this unit. During their stay, immunization against hepatitis B is administered, as well as an injection of vitamin K (to prevent newborn bleeding).
To be released to their homes, all babies (whether delivered by a vaginal birth or Cesarean section) undergo comprehensive examination by a neonatal doctor. The evaluation includes checking the level of jaundice, amount of red blood cells in the blood count, PKU and thyroid gland function. Very early detection of these conditions can help prevent possible brain damage. All male newborns also undergo a test for G6PD deficiency (sensitivity to various medications).
The Department Manager
Tzipi Strauss, MD
Our Doctors
Prof. Ram Mazkereth, MD
Leah Leibovitch, MD
Request a consultation
Sheba Medical Center provides innovative, personalized medical care to patients from around the world. We are the largest, most comprehensive hospital in the Middle East and dedicated to providing advanced and compassionate medicine for everyone.
We welcome all cases, including the rarest and the most challenging. Our medical teams collaborate to provide the best possible health outcomes. From your initial inquiry through the long-term follow-up care, we are here for you.
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