To meet the reproductive, healthcare and medical treatment needs for people in Da Nang and elsewhere in the Central Highlands region, the Da Nang Maternity and Pediatrics Hospital constantly develops specialised medical techniques and prioritises training high-quality human resources.

Doctors at the Infertility Department of the Da Nang Maternity and Pediatrics Hospital implementing microsurgical techniques to retrieve sperm for patients, in service of in vitro fertilization treatment later. Photo: LE HUNG

Intensive treatment for newborns

Every year, the Da Nang Maternity and Pediatrics Hospital receives about 350,000 outpatients and more than 80,000 inpatients for medical checkups and treatment. In particular, the proportion of out-of-province patients accounts for about 50% of the hospital’s total patients.

Doctor Tran Dinh Vinh, Director of the hospital, said that the hospital has constantly invested in modern medical equipment, as well as deployed new and specialised techniques in obstetrics, pediatrics, and rehabilitation. At the same time, it has developed into a specialised hospital for maternity and pediatrics in the city and the region.

The Early Essential Newborn Care (EENC) was adopted in Viet Nam in 2014 and first introduced in three national and regional teaching hospitals including the Da Nang Maternity and Pediatrics Hospital.

During this period, the neonatal mortality rate at the hospital decreased significantly, and the unit was possible to save the lives of babies born at 25-26 weeks of gestation, weighing about 650-700 grams.

Not only focusing on low-cost, highly effective medical interventions, the Department of Emergency - Intensive Care and Pathology Neonatology of the Da Nang Maternity and Pediatrics Hospital also applies modern techniques such as high-frequency mechanical ventilation to treat respiratory failure, active hypothermia therapy in the treatment of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, and pre- and post-operative care for premature infants with congenital malformations.

Thanks to that, the department has gained many outstanding achievements in intensive treatment for extremely premature infants under 28 weeks, with extremely low birth weight under 1,000 grams, severe respiratory failure, and complex congenital malformations.

In 2024, the overall mortality rate in infants treated at the hospital declined significantly year-on-year. Among nearly 5,900 infants admitted to the unit, the mortality rate was 1.9%.

The survival rate of low birth weight infants has been significantly improved, with over 75% of infants weighing less than 1,500 grams being saved. For the extremely low birth weight infants under 1,000 grams, the survival rate is about 55%. The survival rate of the youngest infants has also increased with infants aged 23-24 weeks, weighing 560-600 grams. This is the gestational age group with a very low survival rate in Viet Nam.

Dr. Tran Thi Hoang, Deputy Director of the Da Nang Maternity and Pediatrics Hospital, said that the Department of Emergency - Intensive Care and Pathology of Neonatal has achieved many successes in the care and treatment of newborns. In particular, the department contributes to the maternal and child health care sector in Da Nang, Viet Nam and the world. Included are improving infant mortality and morbidity, and replicating low-cost, highly effective interventions in reducing mortality and morbidity in newborns in particular, and in mothers and children in general.

Advances in infertility treatment

Infertility treatment at the Da Nang Maternity and Pediatrics Hospital is increasingly advanced, helping to increase the success rate of conception and preserve fertility in special cases. This greatly contributes to changing the lives of thousands of couples, and making the hospital a trusted address in the field of reproductive support not only in Central Viet Nam but also in the country.

Dr. Tran Dinh Vinh said that the hospital has invested heavily in facilities and equipment, helping to diagnose and treat infertility quickly and accurately, and increasing the success rate. The hospital also owns a modern freezing system using vitrification technology, a major step forward in preserving fertility.

A comprehensive digital data management system is also integrated, helping to monitor and optimize all processes, from diagnosis to treatment. Along with that, the hospital also has a team of doctors and experts with solid expertise, and they are trained in-depth from major centers at home and abroad. This helps patients in the region access the latest medical advances without having to travel far.

In addition to Intrauterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilization (IVF) at the hospital has achieved a high success rate thanks to the optimized process and modern embryo culture system. Every year, the hospital receives more than 6,000 new patients for infertility treatment, of which about 500 - 700 IVF cycles are performed. The IVF success rate is on average 50%, equivalent to the rate in major centres in the country and Southeast Asia.

Since 2014, more than 3,000 babies have been born thanks to the assisted reproductive methods at the hospital. Moreover, the hospital has successfully supported many special cases such as patients with few eggs, severe ovarian endometriosis, old age, infertility for many years, and complex underlying diseases. This success not only brings joy to the family but also a great motivation for the hospital’s medical team to continue to improve the service.

The Da Nang Maternity and Pediatrics Hospital eyes to becoming the leading reproductive support centre in Viet Nam and the region. Therefore, modern technologies will gradually be effectively applied by the hospital, including preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) to reduce the risk of genetic diseases for the next generation and treat some special diseases; the use of Time-lapse embryo culture technique, helping to better select potential embryos, increase the IVF success rate; and the application of artificial intelligence and diagnostic and treatment techniques. At the same time, heed will be on developing personalised treatment solutions based on the anthropometric, genetic characteristics and health status of each patient.

Reporting by LE HUNG - Translating by M.DUNG