When you’re an expecting mom, the last thing you want is the unexpected. But, if it happens, Covenant Children’s Hospital has an emergency room specifically for pregnant women to get the help they need.
“Patients who come here who are pregnant and come here because they are seen by a board-certified obstetrician 24-7 every single day,” said Marybeth Murphey, director of business development at Covenant.
Not to mention, the next closest Obestetric Emergency Department, or OBED, is in Fort Worth, making this a great asset for any mom with a baby on the way.
“Sometimes you’ll go to a regular emergency department, and the nurses and physicians are not always accustomed to caring for a pregnant mother, so we really feel like they get expert care if they come to an OBED,” said Murphy.
It’s not just expert care. It’s also expert equipment to make sure doctors can do everything they need to help you and your baby.
“We have ultrasound capability for all stages of pregnancy. We have the immediate availability of surgical unit in case the patient needed to be delivered emergently,” said Jennifer Huber, Nurse Manager of Labor and Delivery at Covenant Children’s.
Another plus: It doesn’t cost any more to visit this specialized ER than it would a typical one. It also means you don’t have to worry if your doctor is out of town for the holidays.
“They are able to see a board-certified obstetrician every time they come in,” said Huber.
So, while you could get good care from a regular ER, there is a big bonus having this one so close to home.
“Any pregnant patient that arrives to our unit is seen almost immediately and their evaluation as far as what’s going on in their condition is begun within minutes,” said Jennifer Huber, nurse manager of labor and delivery at Covenant Children’s.
The OBED has three rooms specifically set aside for mothers in an emergency. But, that number can be expanded to 14 with the use of labor and delivery rooms depending on the number of moms giving birth at the time.
The Covenant Children’s OBED is located in the labor and delivery department on the hospital’s fourth floor.
Murhpy also said that they can treat post-partum moms up to six weeks after delivery.
