Total Birthing Care Center

The largest Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Maternal Fetal Intensive Care Unit (MFICU) in the prefecture are combined to form the only Total Birthing Care Center in the prefecture.

We all desire that giving birth would not have to be medical problem, but rather the arrival of a healthy baby. However, roughly 10% of women experience complications during their pregnancies, which are known to cause a variety of problems for the mother and/or the child.

Sometimes the life of the mother or the fetus is in danger, and such cases are referred to as high risk pregnancies. Premature delivery, premature rupture of the membranes, multiple births (twins or more), placenta previa, pregnancy-induced hypertension, diabetes and gestational diabetes, complications from other diseases (asthma, hyperthyroidism, chronic nephritis, lupus, etc.), giving birth past age 40, and extreme obesity are all included in the high risk category.

Also, such problems with the fetus as intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), non-reassuring fetal status (NRFS), extremely large fetus, birth defects, and abnormalities in the volume of amniotic fluid come into the high risk pregnancy category.

The Total Birthing Care Center is a unified, high-level specialized medical facility whose purpose is to care for mother and child in such high risk pregnancies, from the pregnancy on through delivery and newborn care.

Our center has the largest Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), and the only Maternal Fetal Intensive Care Unit (MFICU), in the prefecture. As a result, we deal with over half of the high risk pregnancies in the prefecture. In July, 2007, we were recognized as the only Total Birthing Care Center in the prefecture.

A neonatal specialist physician is present at the delivery of every high risk pregnancy, and care for the newborn begins immediately after birth. We are developing the very latest neonatal care, even including hypothermic care to prevent brain damage in seemingly stillborn infants.

<Fundamental Policy>

1. Education

   This hospital shall communicate the necessary knowledge and techniques of breast milk and breastfeeding to pregnant and new mothers, families, related staff, and the whole area.

2. Nursing

   This hospital shall support putting newborns in immediate contact with their mothers, to enable nursing at the earliest opportunity.

3. Support for mothers with medical problems

   This hospital shall provide accurate information as to the relationship between breast milk and diseases, breast milk and medications, to support an informed decision as to whether a given mother should breastfeed.

4. Support for mothers who are unavoidably separated from their children

   This hospital shall inform mothers of ways to encourage lactation and pump breast milk even in cases of premature delivery or infant disease. Also, mothers shall be allowed to visit their infants as much as possible, and in cases of tube feeding, the mothers themselves shall be the ones to do it, to provide emotional support and bonding.

5. Breastfeeding

   This hospital, unless there is medical necessity otherwise, shall give infants nothing but their mother’s milk.

6. Rooming In

   This hospital, in order to allow the mother and child to be together as much as possible following birth, shall practice rooming in (mother and child in the same room).

7. Continuing support for breastfeeding

   This hospital shall provide continuing support for breastfeeding after discharge from the hospital, providing information on our child rearing support program in cooperation with the local community.

8. Limiting advertising and free samples of artificial milk formulas

   This hospital, in order to prevent easy access to artificial milk, shall abide strictly by the “International Standard for Sale and Transport of Substitutes for Mothers’ Milk” (Commonly called the WHO Milk Code).

9. Support for mothers and children with breastfeeding problems

   This hospital, in respect to situations where breastfeeding is problematical, shall arrange for the mother to provide alternate nutrition to the child while holding them in a breastfeeding posture, explaining and supporting the importance of mother/child bonding.

10. BFH Committee

    This hospital shall establish a BFH committee, with the Director of the hospital as Chairman, to provide continuing support for breastfeeding.

1. A fundamental policy regarding breastfeeding shall be in writing, and understanding and compliance shall be enforced for all related medical staff.
2. All related medical staff shall be trained in the techniques necessary for implementing the breastfeeding policy.
3. Information as to the rationale and methods of breastfeeding shall be provided to all pregnant women.
4. The mother shall be enabled to begin breastfeeding within 30 minutes of delivery.
5. The mother shall be taught about breastfeeding, as well as techniques for collecting her milk for times she must be away from her baby.
6. Unless medically necessary, infants shall be given only their mother’s milk, rather than water or any substitute.
7. In order to enable the mother and child to be together, they shall sleep in the same room.
8. Mothers shall be encouraged to nurse their children when the child desires, as much as the child desires.
9. Infants who are being breastfed shall not be given artificial nipples or pacifiers to suck on.
10. Creation of mothers’ support groups shall be encouraged, and the new mother shall be introduced to such groups upon their discharge from the birthing facility.