MDNews - Lower Hudson/Bronx

M D N E W S .C O M /// M D N E W S L O W E R H U D S O N / B R O N X ■ 2 017 0 7 Enhancing Patient Safety and Comfort THE 23…BED NewYork-Presbyterian Lawrence Hospital Center for Maternal-Child Health features private rooms and bathrooms. Throughout labor, physicians use wireless maternal-fetal monitoring to track fetal vital signs, as well as the frequency and strength of contractions. This allows patients to remain ambulatory. Family members are encouraged to visit as often as desired, and in-room sleeping accommodations are available for women's partners, which enhances maternal- and family-infant bonding. In addition, a board-certified OB/GYN is stationed at NewYork-Presbyterian Lawrence Hospital 24 hours a day, seven days a week — a vital component of maintaining patient safety. "If an emergency occurs and a woman's private physician is in transit to the hospital from his or her home or office, those 10 to 15 minutes of lag time can make a huge difference in maternal-fetal outcomes," says Pearl Lim, MD, a ColumbiaDoctors OB/GYN practicing with NewYork-Presbyterian Medical Group Westchester. "Having a physician on the labor-and-delivery floor who can manage emergencies immediately is lifesaving and gives everyone — from the labor-and-delivery nursing team to private physicians and patients — peace of mind." Additionally, NewYork-Presbyterian Lawrence Hospital features a Level II NICU to care for moderately ill and premature infants. A neonatologist is available in the NICU 24 hours a day. Cases in which infants are born at less than 27 weeks of gestation are transferred to NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, with the local team of neonatologists equipped to stabilize these children prior to transport. Rachel McConnell, MD, ColumbiaDoctors, consults with a patient to explain the various options with infertility, including IVF. She practices in the NewYork- Presbyterian Medical Group Westchester Scarsdale office location as well. Pearl Lim, MD, examines a patient in the NewYork-Presbyterian Medical Group Westchester Scarsdale office. Throughout their pregnancy, patients meet with several of the physicians so they are comfortable with all members of the practice when the important day arrives. weight can make a di‹erence in their prenatal health. Physicians also review medication that women take on a regular basis, pre-existing medical conditions that may impact maternal health during pregnancy and preconception carrier screening. In addition, Dr. Jain makes the recommendation that women begin taking 400 micrograms of folic acid — either in the form of a prenatal vitamin or folic acid supplement — at least three months prior to pregnancy to lower the risk of birth defects, such as spina bifida, and she reviews women's medical histories to ensure they are up to date on screenings and vaccinations. While OB/GYNs at NewYork-Presbyterian Lawrence Hospital prioritize collaboration with women's primary care physicians and other specialists involved in their care, that partnership is especially crucial if women have pre-existing conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety or depression, that require daily medication use. The goal of this collaboration is to optimize the medical condition and make medication adjustments, such as switching drugs, reducing daily dosages or, when possible, stopping use of medications for the duration of the pregnancy, prior to conception. "Pregnancy changes a woman's basic physiolog y, so any medical condition requires close surveillance," Dr. Jain says. "Many times, these medical conditions a‹ect not only maternal health, but fetal health as well." The collaboration between OB/GYNs and primary care physi- cians and specialists continues once women become pregnant. In most ca ses, OB/GY Ns a nd a member of the NewYork- Presbyterian Lawrence Hospital Center for Maternal-Child Health medical team also jointly manage the pregnancies of women with comorbid medical conditions to ensure both mother and child benefit from the most comprehensive care possible. THE ROLE OF PRECONCEPTION CARRIER SCREENING Women, particularly those who have a genetic disorder or a strong family history of a genetic disorder, may decide to undergo preconception carrier screening. This testing enables physicians to determine if women are carriers for genetic disorders such

• Cover