Fiona Stanley Hospital is the only hospital south of the river that can care for babies delivered up to 10 weeks premature.
Such was the case in April 2017 when Rachel Morrow became very unwell during the final trimester of her pregnancy and doctors made the difficult decision to deliver baby Isla 9 weeks early via caesarean.
After the delivery Rachel was in the intensive care unit (ICU) for 2 days and in hospital for a week, with Isla weighing just 1.4kg and being cared for in the Neonatal Unit. Having his wife and daughter in the same hospital made the experience of being a new dad a lot less stressful for Rachel’s husband Kellan.
Baby Isla is doing well. After celebrating their first Mother’s Day at Fiona Stanley Hospital Kellan and Rachel are hopeful baby Isla will be able to come home next week.
The Neonatal Unit has cared for 19 babies born between 8-10 weeks premature since January this year.