Swedish Medical Center | Swedish Cares | Issue 3

SwedishHospital.com 3 No mom-to-be wants to hear that her pregnancy is considered high risk. It can be shocking—and scary—news. But the first thing to know if you get this news is this: It doesn’t mean you won’t have a healthy baby. And the second thing to know: You’ll be in expert hands when you’re cared for and treated at Swedish Medical Center’s Center for Maternal/Fetal Health. What is a high-risk pregnancy? “Usually it’s a woman’s primary care OB/GYN who identifies the pregnancy as high risk,” explains Mari Gambotto, RN, a perinatal nurse practitioner at Swedish who has a master’s degree in high-risk obstetrics (OB). “It may be that mom has a condition like gestational diabetes, chronic hypertension, lupus or some other medical complication. Or the problem could be that the baby has a congenital abnormality. Or there’s something wrong with the placenta.” If a woman has a history of difficult pregnancies, she may be considered high risk even if her current pregnancy is normal. And any pregnancy that involves multiple babies—twins or triplets, for example—is high risk. Preparing for baby If your pregnancy is deemed high risk, your primary OB-GYN doctor will refer you to the high-risk experts at Swedish Medical Center’s Center for Maternal/Fetal Health. You’ll see a maternal fetal medicine physician and a perinatal specialist, and a care plan will be developed that fits your individual situation. You and your baby will be closely monitored and tested, as needed, throughout your pregnancy. “There’s no one way to treat a high- risk pregnancy,” Gambotto says. “It depends on what the concerns are. Every pregnancy is different.” You might also be assigned a nurse navigator like Gambotto, who can help you make appointments and explain every aspect of your care. That expert and personalized pregnancy care extends through your delivery. Services offered at Swedish Medical Center when you deliver include: + + An anesthetist available at all times— “which is a big deal when mom needs an epidural,” Gambotto says. + + A level III, 17-bed neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) with rooming-in capabilities for parents; provides care for very premature or ill infants. + + A NICU camera so family members can watch the baby at all times. + + A neonatal nurse practitioner, a neonatologist and an OB hospitalist available at all times. + + A commitment to family-centered care that is developmentally supportive, including kangaroo care and positioning. + + Lactation support is also available seven days a week. And Swedish Medical Center has access to breast milk through the Mothers Milk Bank. ➤ ➤ TALK TO our high-risk pregnancy patient navigators by calling 303-788-5466 or emailing SWED.WomensNav@HealthONECares.com . Expert care for high-risk pregnancies Cindy Middleton , RN, PNNP Mari Gambotto , RN, PNNP Our perinatal nurse practitioners provide individualized education and support throughout your pregnancy.