Neonatal Unit

How to Register a Birth

During the coronavirus pandemic you can apply to register a birth or purchase a certificate of birth by e-mail or by post. There is no need for you to attend the civil registration service offices in person.

For more information, visit the HSE website here

Blood Transfusion

Some babies may require a blood transfusion during their admission to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. For information on this, please click here.

Neonatal Intensive Care - For further information, please visit our dedicated site www.nmhnicu.ie

Premature or unwell newborn babies are cared for in our specialised Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Our neonatal service is a recognised centre of excellence and takes referrals for acutely ill and pre-term babies from across the country.  We care for approximately 1,300 babies each year.

Babies require admission to the Neonatal Unit for a number of reasons from babies born preterm or with a low birth weight that require careful monitoring to some full-term newborns that may have health problems such as infection, jaundice, difficulty in breathing, cardiac or surgical problems that require specialised care.

The Neonatal Unit, which was completely re-built and renovated in 2016, is located on the first floor of the NMH. We have a 35 bed Level 3 NICU consisting of three wards and an isolation area. It is staffed by Consultant Neonatologists, Registrars, Senior House Officers and a highly skilled specialist team of Neonatal Nurses.  The unit also offers advanced technology to monitor and care for babies.  In June 2018 the NMH offically launched the John Pollard MRI Suite. The acquisition of an MRI scanner means that very sick and premature babies no longer need to be transported across the city for vital, lifesaving scans but will now, with our own designated MRI Scanner, not need to leave Holles Street.   

If your baby requires surgical intervention a transfer can be arranged to the appropriate paediatric hospital for treatment.

A wide range of Support Services are available during this difficult time.

ACORN Team

On November 2023, The National Maternity Hospital was proud to launch its neonatal ACORN (Allied Care of at Risk Newborns) therapy programme for babies in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The programme is run by the hospital’s ACORN Team, a group of healthcare professionals skilled in preterm development who work with our Neonatal Medical and Nursing Team in caring for NICU babies.

To learn more about the ACORN Team, read this leaflet.

Useful Links

Click on the following icon for services that provide help and support to the families of preterm babies: