Sinai Hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit is having a serious baby boom, caring for five sets of twins at the same time. The ten infants, seven boys and three girls, ranging from about 12 days to 13 weeks old, are filling nearly half of the NICU’s 21 beds. Hospital staff says one set of twins is expected to head home early this week.
Clinicians at the Jennifer Gandel Kachura NICU told CBS Baltimore that having five twin pairs in the unit at once is unusual. They noted that newborns can stay anywhere from a day or two to several months, depending on medical needs. Reporter Alexa Herrera’s on-the-ground look highlights just how much space the twins are taking up in the 21-bed unit.
Sinai’s NICU: Size, Level and Family Supports
The Jennifer Gandel Kachura Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Sinai is a Level III, 21-bed unit that treats premature and critically ill newborns. The hospital lists it as one of only three nurseries in Maryland that provide the highest level of care for the smallest infants. The space was renovated into a family-centered Newborn Care Center with private bays, overnight family rooms, and a parents’ lounge, and the hospital reports that the NICU cares for nearly 200 babies each year. According to LifeBridge Health, the unit also runs a statewide neonatal transport program and offers donor milk options for its tiniest patients.
Why Multiples Often Need Intensive Care
Twin pregnancies are more likely than singleton pregnancies to end in preterm delivery, which raises the chance that newborns will need NICU care. Maternal-fetal specialists at Johns Hopkins Medicine note that a little more than half of twin pregnancies deliver before 37 weeks. That higher baseline risk helps explain how a streak of multiple births can quickly fill a unit like Sinai’s and stretch staff and resources.
What Families Can Expect
Sinai emphasizes family-centered care in the NICU, with private bays, family rooms, and a parents’ lounge designed to keep caregivers close during longer hospital stays. Staff says they are closely monitoring the ten infants in their care and working with families on feeding, developmental milestones, and discharge planning as each baby grows stronger.
