The number of infants born at Maayanei Hayeshua Medical Center has been rising 10 percent annually for the past several years, according to figures presented during a dedication ceremony for the Weinstock Premature Infants Ward at the hospital.
The foundation was started by two sisters, Holocaust survivors Dina and Pila Weinstock, who donated $1 million towards the construction of the premature infants ward. The ward has 16 intensive care stations with advanced equipment for treating premature and low-birth-weight infants and a team of highly trained specialists. It also runs workshops for parents and Tipat Chalav nurses.
Dr. Benny Chen of the hospital's Maternity Ward said the increased births seen since 2006 continued to rise this year. During the past year 8,500 infants were born at Maayanei Hayeshua, kein yirbu, compared to 7,680 during 2007.
According to figures presented at the annual conference of the Israeli Society for Maternity and Infant Medicine, Maayanei Hayeshua posted the fourth largest number of births in Israel in 2007.
Dr. Irit Tabori, director of the Newborn and Premature Infant Treatment Unit, said 75 babies under 1.750 kg (3.85 pounds) have been treated there since the unit opened. The smallest was a mere 540 grams (1.2 pounds) at birth. "Our survival rates are particularly high, besiyata deShmaya, thanks to a combination of highly advanced equipped and an experienced, professional medical team."
During the past year several emergency operations were successfully performed in the Premature Infants Ward. The most notable of them was an operation to close a heart artery in a premature infant weighing 850 grams (1.9 pounds).
