Iowa Methodist Medical Center and Blank Children's Hospital, a part of UnityPoint Health - Des Moines, experienced a first in their history on April 22, 2010 as clinical staff delivered quadruplets.
Mom, Tracey Fultz, and her husband, Joe, are the proud parents of one boy and three girls. Aaron Michael was born first and weighed 4 pounds 13 ounces. Anna Mae weighed 3 pounds 8 ounces, Audrey Jean weighed 3 pounds 9 ounces, and Amanda Jane weighed 4 pounds 12 ounces. Today, mom and babies are doing well.
"We provide extraordinary care each day at our hospitals and clinics. The delivery of quads was no different," said Eric Crowell, president and CEO UnityPoint Health - Des Moines. "Everything went very smoothly and I attribute that to our caring and expert staff."
A medical team of 27 was assembled to deliver the babies: two obstetricians, an anesthesiologist, an anesthesiology technician, an eight-person obstetrics team, two neonatologists, four neonatal nurse practitioners, five transport nurses, and four respiratory therapists.
Dr. Stephen Feltz and Dr. Karen Drake delivered the babies, born between 7:17 and 7:19 a.m. at Iowa Methodist Medical Center. The babies are now patients in Blank Children's Hospital's Level III neonatal intensive care nursery. Staffed 24 hours a day by board-certified neonatologists, neonatal nurse practitioners, residents and specially-trained pediatric nurses, the NICU provides special care to more than 400 premature or seriously ill newborns each year.
"More than 12 years ago UnityPoint Health - Des Moines made history when septuplets were born at Iowa Methodist and cared for in the NICU at Blank Children's Hospitals," said Crowell. "Many of the same staff that delivered and helped care for the McCaugheys is still here taking care of our patients each day with their expert medical knowledge and personal care."
With the expertise of the maternity staff at Iowa Methodist, Fultz was able to carry her four babies to 34 weeks gestation. Any multiple birth has additional risks and possible complications; therefore, each week she was able to carry the babies was important to their health and well-being at birth. The maternity centers of UnityPoint Health - Des Moines, which includes Iowa Methodist, Iowa Lutheran Hospital and Methodist West Hospital, deliver approximately 4,100 babies each year.