Delivering the Best Care for Mom and Baby
Scripps is a leader in maternal and neonatal care
Scripps is a leader in maternal and neonatal care
Pregnancy and childbirth are exciting — and challenging — moments for families, and maternity care over the past century has evolved to meet the needs of mother and baby. Scripps’ own transformation includes a focus on empowering women and personalizing the childbirth experience.
Scripps’ history includes important advancements, like introducing midwives into private hospitals within San Diego. This move not only enriched the birthing experience, but also played a part in reducing the frequency of cesarean sections. Scripps continues to pioneer new standards by collaborating with a multidisciplinary team to navigate each patient’s unique maternity journey.
Scripps also offers a full spectrum of obstetrics and gynecology services. Through the years, women’s health has become even more specialized, says Ronald Salzetti, MD, an OB-GYN and medical director of women and newborn services and department chair of OB-GYN at Scripps Clinic.
“OB-GYN is one of the broadest specialties in that we provide primary care, perform surgery, care for pregnant women — we do a little bit of everything,” he says. “More recently, we’ve added sub-specialty needs, including maternal-fetal medicine, urogynecology and gynecologic oncology. We also now have fellowship-trained minimally invasive gynecologic surgeons.”
As Scripps looks to the future, it remains committed to advancing maternal and neonatal care through several key initiatives, says Dr. Salzetti. Scripps has launched innovative practices — such as remote vital sign monitoring and wireless fetal monitoring — and specialized screenings for postpartum depression reflect Scripps’ focus on its patients’ evolving needs.
Scripps has also increased its focus on the “fourth trimester,” the crucial three months following childbirth. Scripps continues to lead the way in providing compassionate, specialized care, ensuring that every woman, every baby and every family receives the support they need during one of life’s most momentous occasions.
Elevating high-risk pregnancy care
Sean Daneshmand, MD, perinatologist, Scripps Clinic
Elevating high-risk pregnancy care
In 2018, Scripps reaffirmed its commitment to women’s health by consolidating its high-risk pregnancy care and establishing a perinatology program. Perinatologists act as consultants for high-risk pregnancies, bringing added skills to support overall care and coordinating with other Scripps physicians and specialists.
“Perinatologists act as the quarterback or middle person, making sure that mom gets to see a sub-specialist in preparation for delivery,” says Sean Daneshmand, MD, an OB-GYN who leads the perinatologist program at Scripps Clinic.
The perinatal team provides prenatal diagnosis and ultrasound, genetic counseling and fetal diagnostics. They also help pregnant women manage gestational diabetes, hypertension, autoimmune disorders and other conditions that may increase the risk for complications.
“While there are other skilled high-risk pregnancy specialists in San Diego County, what makes Scripps stand out is that we really treat the family as a whole,” says Dr. Daneshmand. “Yes, our specialty is fetal and maternal issues, but we go the extra mile and that sets the tone for others to follow.”
Caring for the youngest patients
Giving newborns the best start in life is a top priority. That’s why Scripps has partnered with Rady Children’s Hospital to bring nationally recognized neonatal intensive care to Scripps hospitals across San Diego. Scripps Health and Rady Children’s work together to provide exceptional care for their youngest patients and peace of mind for families.
“With co-care between the OB-GYNs, maternal-fetal medicine doctors and Rady Children’s specialists, we're able to care for the unique needs of each mother and baby at Scripps,” says Dr. Salzetti. The partnership exemplifies Scripps’ collaborative spirit and commitment to patient-centered care.
“It instills confidence in our patients that we have experienced and knowledgeable specialists taking care of their babies,” says Dr. Daneshmand. “This partnership is so vital for our community.”
This content appeared in San Diego Health, a publication in partnership between Scripps and San Diego Magazine that celebrates the healthy spirit of San Diego.