Headlines paint a stark picture of maternal health in America, particularly for those who are marginalized. A comparison with other developed nations shows the maternal mortality rate in the U.S. could be triple that of most other wealthy countries, causing many to label the situation a maternal mortality crisis. As a demonstration of its commitment to maternal care and prioritizing better outcomes in maternal and infant health, Ascension SE Wisconsin Hospital – St. Joseph Campus and Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital – Milwaukee Campus opened the first and only 24-hour Obstetric Emergency Departments (OBED) dedicated to pregnant women in the City of Milwaukee.
Ascension St. Joseph and Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s Milwaukee both offer a four-bed OBED staffed with board-certified OB-GYNs through the OB Hospitalist Group that provides care for pregnancy-related emergencies.
“This represents a significant investment in our hospitals and provides an elevated standard of care for our patients and positively impacts the lives of women, their babies and the families we are privileged to serve,” Kathlyn Tambellini, Ascension Wisconsin Director of Women and Infant Services at Ascension St. Joseph said.
The team of physicians’ goal is to provide timely care for every pregnant woman presenting to the labor and delivery unit or obstetric emergency department, improve patient care for moms-to-be, and to reduce wait times and delays in emergent OB/GYN care at some of the state’s busiest emergency departments.
Ascension St. Joseph’s OBED has cared for thousands of moms-to-be in the four years since it opened. In 2023 the hospital treated more than 2,000 patients in its OBED. More than 2800 patients have been treated so far in 2024. In its first year, the Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s OBED saw nearly 2800 patients as well.
According to Ascension’s Maternal Health Report, nearly 50% of deliveries at Ascension were to mothers living in medium-high and high social vulnerability index regions; of that 50%, a disproportionate number were Black.
“We care for women from throughout the area, and that includes many high-risk moms-to-be who face both physical and socioeconomic challenges,” Wendy Killian, Ascension Wisconsin Director of Women’s Services at Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s Milwaukee said. “At both of our OBED locations, we dedicate time, energy, and clinical resources to improve birth outcomes, reduce health disparities and improve maternal and infant health. The OBED is another step forward in this important work.”
Pregnancy emergencies can happen at any hour and can range from elevated blood pressure to more serious issues that require immediate surgery. Conditions commonly treated in an OBED include:
• Abnormal vaginal bleeding
• Complications associated with high-risk pregnancy
• Decreased fetal movement
• Increased blood pressure
• Preterm labor
• Ruptured membranes
The OBED program does not replace a woman’s regular obstetrician; instead, it serves as an extension of the patient’s regular doctor. Hospitalists are physicians who specialize solely in caring for patients who are hospitalized, rather than those in a clinical or outpatient setting. OB hospitalists have additional training such as advanced fetal assessment and monitoring. In addition to handling deliveries, OB hospitalists assist with any issues and emergencies that may arise and provide several services including:
• Care in times of emergency prior to the arrival of a patient’s physician
• Support the care of high-risk pregnancy patients
• Deliver babies for patients who don’t have an obstetrician
Pregnant women in need of emergency care at Ascension St. Joseph and Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s Milwaukee can either enter through the main Emergency Department or come directly to the OBED located in the Labor and Delivery Unit.