PLANNING AHEAD: HERE COMES BABY!
One of the most important decisions a woman makes is choosing a hospital for the birth of her baby. Her selection will determine the birthing options available to her, the extent to which her family and friends can share in the joyous event, and the quality of care she and her baby will receive.

“It takes some homework to make an informed decision about hospital maternity services,” says Saddleback Memorial obstetrician/gynecologist Elizabeth Johnson, M.D. The process begins with physician selection. Women typically deliver at the hospital where their obstetrician has admitting privileges. This means that mothers-to-be should keep in mind that when they choose a doctor, they’re automatically selecting the place where they’ll give birth. Dr. Johnson, who prefers the Women’s Hospital at Saddleback Memorial for both personal and professional reasons, delivered her first child there in January 2007. One of the factors she considered most important for the birth of her own baby was the hospital’s excellent nursing staff. “In addition to the obstetrician, new mothers at Saddleback Memorial are cared for by a team of specially trained nurses who assist in nearly 3,000 births each year,” says Dr. Johnson. “The Women’s Hospital nursing team is among the best and most experienced anywhere.”

Obstetrician/gynecologist Catherine Han, M.D., agrees. “The nursing staff played a key role in earning the superior rating for maternity care awarded by CalHospitalCompare.org to the Women’s Hospital at Saddleback Memorial,” she says. The organization’s Web site rates quality of care, patient experience and safety measures for 220 hospitals that together account for 82 percent of admissions in the state of California. Saddleback Memorial’s superior rating was based on the responses of maternity patients who were asked to rank their hospital experience in several categories on a scale from zero to 10. Saddleback Memorial ranked among the best for “maternity patient experience” in the state of California.

Based on an independent survey, Saddleback Memorial was ranked as one of the top hospitals in California for maternity patient experience.

In December 2006, Dr. Han welcomed her third child into the world at Saddleback Memorial. She chose the hospital for the births of her three children for many reasons, including the availability of a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). “Fortunately, most births go according to plan,” says Dr. Han. “But if any unexpected difficulties occur with the baby, it’s important to have access to a NICU.” Dr. Han points out that NICUs have the lifesaving capabilities necessary to handle the serious emergencies involving medically fragile and premature babies. Additionally, the hospital’s high-risk obstetrical team of board-certified perinatologists, neonatologists, OB anesthesiologists and obstetricians is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Julie Kim, M.D., who is also an obstetrician/ gynecologist at the hospital, says that no one knows more about the overall quality of maternity services at Saddleback Memorial than the doctors and nurses who practice there. “That’s exactly why I had my own baby at the hospital,” she says. “Clinical services are always the most important consideration and they’re state-of-the-art at Saddleback. But beyond that, the labor/delivery/recovery (LDR) suites are appreciated by patients.” Offering a private, family-centered environment for giving birth, the suites are designed so mom, baby and dad can stay together during labor, delivery and recovery. If any unforeseen complications develop, the suite can be transformed immediately to handle them. And if the need arises for a Cesarean section, the operating rooms are located adjacent to the LDR area. “Saddleback Memorial is one of the few hospitals in Orange County to offer women who have had previous Cesareans the option of delivering vaginally,” says Dr. Kim. “The hospital offers a VBAC (vaginal birth after Cesarean section) class for interested mothers. By having the appropriate staff and support measures in place, the hospital has achieved an 80 percent success rate with patients attempting vaginal birth after a Cesarean.” Dr. Kim also appreciates the availability of a lactation specialist to help new mothers with breastfeeding.

Prenatal care should begin early in the pregnancy—and before pregnancy for high-risk women with diabetes, cardiovascular problems or other chronic illnesses. With one of the few high-risk pregnancy programs in the area, the Women’s Hospital offers genetic counseling, a fetal diagnostic center, gestational diabetes program, in utero therapy and specialists in multiple births.