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Nemours to start delivering infants who require surgery

Nemours Children's Health System

Nemours A.I. Dupont Hospital for Children in Wilmington is set to start delivering infants who require surgery after they are born.

Previously, Delaware infants diagnosed prenatally with conditions like congenital heart disease would have to be delivered at Christiana Hospital then transported to A.I for surgery. Now the two hospitals are partnering to deliver those infants at A.I.

Chris Beaty is Nursing Director for the new Nemours & Christiana Care Advanced Delivery Program. He says the program is three years in the making, and improves care for both mothers and their infants.

“Not only does [the program] minimize the risk for the neonate but it also helps maintain the mom and baby dyad, so mom’s care can be provided in the same location that their baby’s care will be provided,” said Beaty.

Dr. Margaret Chou is an Obstetrician-Gynecologist at Christiana Care Health System and co-Medical Director of the new program. She says separating an infant from its mother at birth complicates the care of both.

“A lot of times when a woman has to choose between being with her child and staying in the hospital for her routine postpartum care many times she’s going to request early discharge,” said Chou. “As her obstetrician, you’ll cross your fingers and hope everything is okay, but you’ll respect her wishes and discharge her early.”

The new program began enrolling patients Monday.

Chou’s team of obstetricians will deliver qualifying infants out of a new just under $5 million labor, delivery, postpartum suite at A.I.  Infants will then be handed off to Nemours neonatal physicians to perform surgeries on site.

Clinicians expect to treat about 30 expectant mothers in the unit’s first year of operation.

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