The neonatology unit currently offers up to 16 intensive care places for newborns, which has proven to be too few as confirmed in an article in December with Dr Charlotte Pierron, head of the neonatal unit.
Due to lack of space, pregnant women whose babies are at risk of being born prematurely are regularly referred to hospitals abroad. By mid-December 2025, CHL had already carried out 14 so-called “transfers in utero” where the mother is transferred to another country before giving birth.
The numbers have been consistent in recent years: 24 such cases were reported in 2024 and 28 in 2023.
The Ministry of Health, responding to an enquiry from RTL, stated that “most pregnant women can go home after monitoring or, if necessary, are transferred elsewhere”. In many cases, patients can return to Luxembourg to Clinique Bohler, once they reach the 32nd week of pregnancy, according to the ministry.
However, between 10 and 15 babies are born abroad each year, often before the 32-week mark. For many families, this creates a logistical burden due to the long travel distances between their home and the hospital, as well as the emotional strain of being far from their vulnerable baby. Newborns requiring intensive care may remain hospitalised abroad for some time, meaning parents must travel long distances while also managing family and work commitments.
The ministry confirmed that an expansion of the neonatology unit has been in the pipeline for some time. “A project to expand the unit was approved by the ministry five years ago”, it said in a written statement. However, no progress has been made.
One of the main challenges is that carrying out the work would require relocating the entire unit, which will be a complex and difficult undertaking. “According to our information, a new project is to be proposed to the ministry”, the statement added. For now, however, no timeline has been provided.
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