Tertiary

Level three, usually referring to a tertiary hospital. These hospitals are major medical centers providing specialty and subspecialty care such as neonatal intensive care units. If your child is born with problems he or she will likely be transferred to an NICU at one of these hospitals, if there is not an NICU in the hospital where you deliver.

Make arrangements with your doctor ahead of time, so that if there are problems with your newborn, you know where your baby might be transferred. If you have had a complicated pregnancy you should consider delivering in a hospital with subspecialty capability for newborns. Otherwise, your baby may require an emergency transport to another hospital.