Infirmary Health’s three maternal health centers at the Mobile Infirmary, Thomas Hospital and North Baldwin Infirmary, allow expecting mothers in the Gulf Coast area to receive comprehensive maternal care. In the case of high-risk births, Mobile Infirmary and Thomas Hospital are able to provide critical care services to both mom and baby with the support of a Neonatal Intensive Care Team and Level II specialty nursery.
Jessica Jones, MD, an OB-GYN with Women’s Health Alliance of Mobile, joins us to discuss high-risk pregnancies, the support provided by a Level II specialty nursery and how to choose the right provider and hospital for your family. As the FIRST CHOICE for healthcare in the Gulf Coast Region, Infirmary Health is here for you, here for LIFE.
Selected Podcast
My Pregnancy is High-Risk. Where Can I Deliver My Baby?
Featuring:
Jessica Jones, M.D.
Jessica Jones, M.D. is an OB-GYN with Women’s Health Alliance of Mobile. She loves taking care of all women in every season of life, from adolescence to adulthood. A graduate of Vanderbilt University, Dr. Jones earned her medical degree from the University of Mississippi in Oxford, MS in 2011. She went on to complete her residency with the University of Louisiana Health Sciences Center. Dr. Jones is board-certified with the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Prior to relocating to the Mobile area, she maintained an active practice in Baldwin County and was a member and Vice President of the Baldwin County Medical Society, and served as a board member for the Thomas Hospital Foundation. Transcription:
Scott Webb: Infirmary Health's three maternal health centers, the Mobile Infirmary, Thomas Hospital and North Baldwin Infirmary, allow expecting mothers in the Gulf Coast to receive comprehensive maternal care. In the case of high-risk births, Mobile Infirmary and Thomas Hospital are able to provide critical care services to both mom and baby with the support of a neonatal intensive care team and level 2 specialty nursery.
Dr. Jessica Jones, an OB-GYN with Women's Health Alliance in Mobile joins us today to discuss high-risk pregnancies, the support provided by a level 2 specialty nursery and how to choose the right provider and hospital for your family.
Welcome to LifeCast, the podcast from Infirmary Health. I'm Scott Webb. Dr. Jones, thanks for your time today. What does high-risk pregnancy mean?
Dr. Jessica Jones: So high-risk pregnancy is typically a pregnancy that involves increased health risk for the mother, it could be for the unborn baby, or it could be for both. Some high-risk pregnancy complications of pregnancy could be, for instance, diabetes, high blood pressure, cervical incompetence, thyroid disease, or even preterm birth. And high-risk complications, although rare, they affect about 6% to 8% of all pregnancies. So it's not uncommon to hear of a mom who's had a complication of high-risk. risk.
Scott Webb: Yeah. And as you say, it's only 6% to 8%. But of course, if we find ourselves in that 6% to 8%, obviously we're going to want someone like yourself, someone with your expertise. So let's talk about the involvement that maternal-fetal medicine physicians have in high-risk pregnancies.
Dr. Jessica Jones: Maternal-fetal medicine are high-risk doctors. They are the doctors that go on to receive additional training in these specific complications in order to give us, the OB-GYN, additional information and make recommendations so that, as a team, together, we can bring you and your pregnancy, hopefully to a very uncomplicated delivery.
In this case, a maternal-fetal medicine doctor is going to do four years of OB-GYN training. And then they go on to do three more years that specialize in the high-risk pregnancy category. They specialize in all different types of different diseases, including the baby and the mom. And in this case though, they don't deliver your babies. So if you're involved with a high-risk doctor, he will be there or she will be there as a consultation, but you will still continue to see your OB-GYN through the pregnancy and your OB-GYN will likely be the one delivering your baby.
Scott Webb: Yeah, it does sound like a real team approach and a lot of expertise in the room, so to speak. And, you know, doctor, I know not all hospitals are the same. They may all be great on some level and good at some things and maybe not quite as good at others. But it's important, right, that we consider the hospital when we're selecting an OB-GYN?
Dr. Jessica Jones: Absolutely. I can't emphasize this enough. When you're selecting the hospital, of course, you want to start with your physician. You want to feel really comfortable with your OB-GYN and make sure that the OB-GYN has everything at their fingertips they would need to take care of your pregnancy. For instance, Infirmary Health offers a lot of services that are not related to pregnancy, but are related to taking care of very sick moms. We have ICU level of care. We have NICU care and we also have specialized lactation services so that, if you or your baby needs additional help at the hospital, our hospital has everything you would need.
Scott Webb: Yeah, let's talk about specifically for those high-risk pregnancies what Infirmary Health Hospitals can offer.
Dr. Jessica Jones: So the specific things that we're able to offer, first off, I'd like to start by saying that infirmary has always been sort of a family-centered hospital in the sense that we, the physicians, feel like we are coming together to take care of families in this case. I think that, you know, one thing that has always been very important to me in a very large hospital system is that the doctors are really good about communication from doctor to doctor. So it's very easy, for instance, I think for things to get lost in communication, especially when trying to coordinate care between different doctors, different nursing care. So I think it's really important that Infirmary always approaches this situation as a team effort. For instance, it's not very uncommon for me to call up our neonatologists here at Mobile Infirmary way before we expect the pregnancy to deliver and just tell them, you know, "This is what's coming up. We want to kind of be prepared. Is there anything we need to do beforehand before the baby's here in order to coordinate care and have everything we need before the baby has arrived?"
The other things that we offer, the level 2 NICU is very important, because you want to make sure that you have the level of care your baby needs at the hospital at the right time. You don't want to be in a situation where you don't have everything right there ready to go. So I think coordinating care and also having the higher levels of care are very important when selecting Infirmary Health.
Scott Webb: So doctor, what kind of care does a level 2 specialty nursery provide? You know, I think for those of us lay people for us to prospective patients, we think will level 1, but, you know, level 2 must be better. of course, right? So when we think about level 2, how does it differ from traditional care?
Dr. Jessica Jones: A level 2 nursery is a special care nursery. And research shows that the level of care your baby receives immediately after birth will have long-term health complications or benefits. So what I mean by this is that you want to have your baby in the appropriate level of care. It needs in order to have immediately hands-on healthcare providers that are able to take care of whatever your baby needs in that moment.
In this case, a level 2 nursery, how it differs from a normal nursery is that we are able to accept babies that are 32 weeks old and older, as opposed to a normal nursery that might only take up to 35 weeks and older. So we are taking care of more premature babies. And in some situations, we're able to actually take care of 30 weeks and beyond. So most of our babies that come here and deliver, even if they're premature, we're able to take care of them without having to transfer them to a higher level of hospital at a differnt location. We're one of the few hospitals in the area that actually have our own neonatology group, which means that, you know, we're able to keep moms and babies together, which is what I think all of us are trying to do in the long-term.
Scott Webb: Yeah. Well, all of that sounds amazing. And I know that high-risk pregnancies of course are hard on all families, but especially moms. So what impact do high-risk pregnancies have on moms and how are Infirmary Health Hospitals prepared to care for them?
Dr. Jessica Jones: Well, I think the first thing I need to say is that pregnancy can be very joyous, exciting, but also nervous and a fearful thing. You're going to go through a lot of transitions. And any pregnancy that has no risk at all can have all of those things, all of those emotions. And, when you add in high-risk complications, it brings a lot of stress. Here at Infirmary Health, I think what we're trying to do is we're trying to do everything in our power to allay those stressors on mom. We want healthy moms making healthy babies. We want to guide moms through their pregnancy, making their health, our number one priority. But also, you know, looking toward the future and trying to guess what we might need for her and the baby down the road.
I think the things that we also need to be aware of are the dads in this situation, making sure that dads feel like they are involved in the process, that they have their concerns and questions answered. I think here at Infirmary Health, we've always tried to involve all parts of the family and trying to make them prepared to become parents is our number one priority.
Scott Webb: And as we wrap up here, I know that you're not just a high-risk birth provider, you're also a mom. So tell us about your experiences, any feedback you have as sort of in your dual role as mom and high-risk birth provider.
Dr. Jessica Jones: Ironically, I had a high-risk pregnancy with my baby. His name is Henry, and my pregnancy was complicated by gestational diabetes. When you have a situation where you are very worried and concerned that your baby is not getting the health care that it needs, or that you yourself are not getting the healthcare that you need, it is very important, I think, that you reach out and, you know, say to people, "I need more. I need to have a higher level of care. I need a higher standard," so that those needs are met. I think that's very important. And as a mom that had a high-risk pregnancy, I would encourage all moms out there that if you are feeling like you're not receiving the care you need, please ask for help. We definitely want to meet all of those needs.
Scott Webb: Well, great to hear about Henry. Glad to hear that he's okay. And, you know, I always think that that's the best testament from providers, when they go to their own hospitals, right? When they go to their own doctors and specialists to have their babies or whatever it might be. So much great information today. And I just love your compassionate way of explaining all this. So thanks so much, doctor, and you stay well.
Dr. Jessica Jones: Thank you so much, Scott. Have a great day.
Scott Webb: As the first choice for healthcare for the Gulf Coast region, Infirmary Health is here for you, here for life. Visit us at infirmaryhealth.org to learn more about our comprehensive birth centers. And if you enjoyed this podcast, please share on social media and subscribe, rate, and review on your favorite podcast apps.
This is LifeCast, the podcast from Infirmary Health. I'm Scott Webb. Thanks for listening. Stay well.
Scott Webb: Infirmary Health's three maternal health centers, the Mobile Infirmary, Thomas Hospital and North Baldwin Infirmary, allow expecting mothers in the Gulf Coast to receive comprehensive maternal care. In the case of high-risk births, Mobile Infirmary and Thomas Hospital are able to provide critical care services to both mom and baby with the support of a neonatal intensive care team and level 2 specialty nursery.
Dr. Jessica Jones, an OB-GYN with Women's Health Alliance in Mobile joins us today to discuss high-risk pregnancies, the support provided by a level 2 specialty nursery and how to choose the right provider and hospital for your family.
Welcome to LifeCast, the podcast from Infirmary Health. I'm Scott Webb. Dr. Jones, thanks for your time today. What does high-risk pregnancy mean?
Dr. Jessica Jones: So high-risk pregnancy is typically a pregnancy that involves increased health risk for the mother, it could be for the unborn baby, or it could be for both. Some high-risk pregnancy complications of pregnancy could be, for instance, diabetes, high blood pressure, cervical incompetence, thyroid disease, or even preterm birth. And high-risk complications, although rare, they affect about 6% to 8% of all pregnancies. So it's not uncommon to hear of a mom who's had a complication of high-risk. risk.
Scott Webb: Yeah. And as you say, it's only 6% to 8%. But of course, if we find ourselves in that 6% to 8%, obviously we're going to want someone like yourself, someone with your expertise. So let's talk about the involvement that maternal-fetal medicine physicians have in high-risk pregnancies.
Dr. Jessica Jones: Maternal-fetal medicine are high-risk doctors. They are the doctors that go on to receive additional training in these specific complications in order to give us, the OB-GYN, additional information and make recommendations so that, as a team, together, we can bring you and your pregnancy, hopefully to a very uncomplicated delivery.
In this case, a maternal-fetal medicine doctor is going to do four years of OB-GYN training. And then they go on to do three more years that specialize in the high-risk pregnancy category. They specialize in all different types of different diseases, including the baby and the mom. And in this case though, they don't deliver your babies. So if you're involved with a high-risk doctor, he will be there or she will be there as a consultation, but you will still continue to see your OB-GYN through the pregnancy and your OB-GYN will likely be the one delivering your baby.
Scott Webb: Yeah, it does sound like a real team approach and a lot of expertise in the room, so to speak. And, you know, doctor, I know not all hospitals are the same. They may all be great on some level and good at some things and maybe not quite as good at others. But it's important, right, that we consider the hospital when we're selecting an OB-GYN?
Dr. Jessica Jones: Absolutely. I can't emphasize this enough. When you're selecting the hospital, of course, you want to start with your physician. You want to feel really comfortable with your OB-GYN and make sure that the OB-GYN has everything at their fingertips they would need to take care of your pregnancy. For instance, Infirmary Health offers a lot of services that are not related to pregnancy, but are related to taking care of very sick moms. We have ICU level of care. We have NICU care and we also have specialized lactation services so that, if you or your baby needs additional help at the hospital, our hospital has everything you would need.
Scott Webb: Yeah, let's talk about specifically for those high-risk pregnancies what Infirmary Health Hospitals can offer.
Dr. Jessica Jones: So the specific things that we're able to offer, first off, I'd like to start by saying that infirmary has always been sort of a family-centered hospital in the sense that we, the physicians, feel like we are coming together to take care of families in this case. I think that, you know, one thing that has always been very important to me in a very large hospital system is that the doctors are really good about communication from doctor to doctor. So it's very easy, for instance, I think for things to get lost in communication, especially when trying to coordinate care between different doctors, different nursing care. So I think it's really important that Infirmary always approaches this situation as a team effort. For instance, it's not very uncommon for me to call up our neonatologists here at Mobile Infirmary way before we expect the pregnancy to deliver and just tell them, you know, "This is what's coming up. We want to kind of be prepared. Is there anything we need to do beforehand before the baby's here in order to coordinate care and have everything we need before the baby has arrived?"
The other things that we offer, the level 2 NICU is very important, because you want to make sure that you have the level of care your baby needs at the hospital at the right time. You don't want to be in a situation where you don't have everything right there ready to go. So I think coordinating care and also having the higher levels of care are very important when selecting Infirmary Health.
Scott Webb: So doctor, what kind of care does a level 2 specialty nursery provide? You know, I think for those of us lay people for us to prospective patients, we think will level 1, but, you know, level 2 must be better. of course, right? So when we think about level 2, how does it differ from traditional care?
Dr. Jessica Jones: A level 2 nursery is a special care nursery. And research shows that the level of care your baby receives immediately after birth will have long-term health complications or benefits. So what I mean by this is that you want to have your baby in the appropriate level of care. It needs in order to have immediately hands-on healthcare providers that are able to take care of whatever your baby needs in that moment.
In this case, a level 2 nursery, how it differs from a normal nursery is that we are able to accept babies that are 32 weeks old and older, as opposed to a normal nursery that might only take up to 35 weeks and older. So we are taking care of more premature babies. And in some situations, we're able to actually take care of 30 weeks and beyond. So most of our babies that come here and deliver, even if they're premature, we're able to take care of them without having to transfer them to a higher level of hospital at a differnt location. We're one of the few hospitals in the area that actually have our own neonatology group, which means that, you know, we're able to keep moms and babies together, which is what I think all of us are trying to do in the long-term.
Scott Webb: Yeah. Well, all of that sounds amazing. And I know that high-risk pregnancies of course are hard on all families, but especially moms. So what impact do high-risk pregnancies have on moms and how are Infirmary Health Hospitals prepared to care for them?
Dr. Jessica Jones: Well, I think the first thing I need to say is that pregnancy can be very joyous, exciting, but also nervous and a fearful thing. You're going to go through a lot of transitions. And any pregnancy that has no risk at all can have all of those things, all of those emotions. And, when you add in high-risk complications, it brings a lot of stress. Here at Infirmary Health, I think what we're trying to do is we're trying to do everything in our power to allay those stressors on mom. We want healthy moms making healthy babies. We want to guide moms through their pregnancy, making their health, our number one priority. But also, you know, looking toward the future and trying to guess what we might need for her and the baby down the road.
I think the things that we also need to be aware of are the dads in this situation, making sure that dads feel like they are involved in the process, that they have their concerns and questions answered. I think here at Infirmary Health, we've always tried to involve all parts of the family and trying to make them prepared to become parents is our number one priority.
Scott Webb: And as we wrap up here, I know that you're not just a high-risk birth provider, you're also a mom. So tell us about your experiences, any feedback you have as sort of in your dual role as mom and high-risk birth provider.
Dr. Jessica Jones: Ironically, I had a high-risk pregnancy with my baby. His name is Henry, and my pregnancy was complicated by gestational diabetes. When you have a situation where you are very worried and concerned that your baby is not getting the health care that it needs, or that you yourself are not getting the healthcare that you need, it is very important, I think, that you reach out and, you know, say to people, "I need more. I need to have a higher level of care. I need a higher standard," so that those needs are met. I think that's very important. And as a mom that had a high-risk pregnancy, I would encourage all moms out there that if you are feeling like you're not receiving the care you need, please ask for help. We definitely want to meet all of those needs.
Scott Webb: Well, great to hear about Henry. Glad to hear that he's okay. And, you know, I always think that that's the best testament from providers, when they go to their own hospitals, right? When they go to their own doctors and specialists to have their babies or whatever it might be. So much great information today. And I just love your compassionate way of explaining all this. So thanks so much, doctor, and you stay well.
Dr. Jessica Jones: Thank you so much, Scott. Have a great day.
Scott Webb: As the first choice for healthcare for the Gulf Coast region, Infirmary Health is here for you, here for life. Visit us at infirmaryhealth.org to learn more about our comprehensive birth centers. And if you enjoyed this podcast, please share on social media and subscribe, rate, and review on your favorite podcast apps.
This is LifeCast, the podcast from Infirmary Health. I'm Scott Webb. Thanks for listening. Stay well.