Neonatology Patient Stories

"The care that we received from the doctors and nurses was amazing."

New mom Erika Stupka appreciates "the little things."

Logan was born in Mason City, Iowa where doctors discovered he had a blood clot near a large vein that carries blood to his heart. He was transferred to University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital, where he was admitted into the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Further tests showed he had microcephaly, or a small head, and his cerebellum had not fully formed.

The only treatment for preeclampsia is to deliver the baby. At 25 weeks pregnant, Julie was taken by ambulance and Abi was born the next day, weighing just over 1 pound.

Makayla was born three weeks premature at UI Stead Family Children's Hospital with additional birth defects. The doctors diagnosed her with OEIS syndrome, which occurs in just one of 300,000 infants. Once Makayla was born, a team of pediatric specialists worked together to develop a plan of care and she had her first surgery at just five days old.

Flynn, born prematurely at 29 weeks, is now thriving. Read more about Flynn's story.

Dexter's mom was having a normal pregnancy - until she went into labor at only 20 weeks. But she was in the right place when the unexpected happened: Iowa's most advanced Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Rylan was born with an extremely rare skin disease called epidermolysis bullosa, a condition that causes his skin to be extremely fragile and to blister and come off with the slightest friction. His condition was detected at birth, and he was transferred to UI Stead Family Children's Hospital when he was just 3 days old.

Faith was transferred to the UI Stead Family Children's Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit when she was five days old. She had multiple organ failure, bleeding on the brain and gastrointestinal issues. In her 10 years of care at UI Stead Family Children's Hospital, she has been seen by doctors and nurses in 17 different areas.

UI study shows mothers with prematurely born infants benefit from personal sessions with NICU nurses.