Saratoga Hospital Medical Group – Neonatology provides round-the-clock routine and highly specialized care for newborns, with a compassionate team dedicated to babies’ healthy development and specifically trained in providing care and treatment for newborns who are premature, critically ill, have respiratory difficulties or birth defects.
Neonatology provides both routine and highly specialized care for newborns, offering expertise in evaluation and treatment of infant feeding problems, breathing disorders, infections, jaundice, genetic abnormalities, neurological problems and issues associated with premature births. Our neonatal team works closely with midwives and OB/GYNs should additional consult be necessary, as well as providing compassionate family-centered education to assure proper follow-up care as your precious newborn transitions home. Saratoga Hospital’s affiliation with Albany Med provides highly coordinated specialized care and seamless transition to Albany Med’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit as needed.
Saratoga Hospital Medical Group – Neonatology is led by Saratoga Hospital’s Chief of Newborn Medicine Jennifer Lefner, MD, who is fellowship-trained and board certified in pediatrics with a subspecialty in neonatology-perinatal medicine. Our outstanding neonatal team employs the most up-to-date equipment particular to the tiniest newborn and advanced diagnostic techniques working within a broad spectrum of neonatal care.
Dr. Lefner and her team are committed to providing family-centered, compassionate care. The team works closely with a patient’s obstetric physician, midwife, pediatrician and other specialists providing round-the-clock consultations as needed, and assuring the newborn’s family has all the information they need to continue follow-up and healthy infant care at home.
Among other services, our practice provides prenatal consultations for high-risk mothers, including patients with addiction issues, diabetes, expectations of pre-term labor, or showing an abnormality on their prenatal ultrasound. Our expert team treats infant respiratory distress, infections, and many medical issues that may arise, as well as stabilize, treat or transport newborns with life-threatening medical complications. Our regional perinatal center is Albany Med Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
“Most babies are born healthy, but parents can rest assured that our highly trained neonatal team stands ready 24/7 to provide specialized newborn care onsite and seamless transfer to Albany Med’s NICU if needed.”
To view a list of all of our providers, please click here.
Katie Gregg, NNP-BC
Jennifer Lefner, MD
Kristen Sergott, NNP
Sara Tse, PA-C
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Each newborn is assessed immediately upon birth, and treated if necessary, for infections, abnormalities or impediments to adapting to life outside the uterus. A full physical exam is provided within 24 hours of birth, checking—among other things—vital signs, hearing, range of motion, and the standard heel-prick blood sample to test for genetic, metabolic, or endocrine disorders. Our caring team explains tests and results, compassionately answering questions and discussing options.
William J. Hickey Women's Health Services (Mother/Baby Unit) →
Breathing problems are a common complication in premature babies, but also in newborns with infections or other conditions arising from delivery or labor complications. Our neonatal team includes a highly trained nursing staff and respiratory therapy department, fully equipped to provide infant respiratory support, including non-invasive options. Respiratory support can include medications or delivery of air through small tubes into the baby’s nose with equipment such as a nasal CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure).
William J. Hickey Women's Health Services (Mother/Baby Unit) →
Our neonatal team provides 24/7 expert consultations for obstetric patients with high-risk complications, including addiction issues, diabetes, prenatal ultrasound abnormalities, or issues indicating pre-term labor. We work closely with OB/GYNs, midwives, and other specialists as needed to assure collaborative, patient-centered communication and help the patient understand all of her options.
William J. Hickey Women's Health Services (Mother/Baby Unit) →
One cause of breastfeeding difficulties can be ankyloglossia, commonly known as “tongue-tie”. Babies born with this condition have a short band of thick tissue that ties the tip of the tongue to the floor of the mouth. If left untreated, it can also affect a child’s eating and speaking abilities. The lingual frenotomy is a simple surgical procedure we can perform that removes the excess tissue. It can be performed while the newborn is an inpatient during the birth hospitalization, or as an outpatient up to two weeks of age.
William J. Hickey Women's Health Services (Mother/Baby Unit) →
We provide full, 24/7 consultation services for OB/GYN providers and midwives, attending deliveries when needed. Our highly trained neonatal team provides specialized care for late preterm infants, greater than 35 weeks gestation, with increased monitoring and specialized testing prior to discharge home, which will include regular follow-up. For patients below 35 weeks, we deliver and stabilize your newborn here and coordinate seamless transfer of care to Albany Med’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
William J. Hickey Women's Health Services (Mother/Baby Unit) →
Prior to discharge from the hospital, our team will coordinate referrals to outpatient specialists as needed. We maintain a collaborative, transparent relationship with all the pediatricians who care for infants born here at Saratoga Hospital. With our family-centered focus, we discuss proper care and nutrition for baby’s healing and growth, and we are happy to answer any questions in preparation of your newborn’s transition home.
William J. Hickey Women's Health Services (Mother/Baby Unit) →
Imaging
We offer advanced imaging services, under the guidance and expertise of highly skilled medical professionals.
