Having a baby is one of life’s most joyous and exciting moments. It can also be overwhelming. With a dedicated team of professionals and specialists, Broward Health’s Maternity Place delivers extraordinary care when it matters most.
Kia Hunter Joseph went into labor with her third child in March 2023, but didn’t realize how different this birthing experience would be. Joseph was in her 39th week of pregnancy when she started leaking fluid. Unlike her prior pregnancies, she didn’t feel contractions and didn’t recognize this as an early sign of labor.
When she began feeling contractions that were increasing in intensity, she called her doctor, Jessica White Videa, D.O., and was told to go to the hospital. Dr. Videa was out of town, but her partner was on call and planning on delivering the baby.
Joseph was admitted to the Maternity Place at Broward Health Coral Springs at about 5 a.m. As she was being connected to monitors and an IV was placed, she started feeling a familiar pressure that let her know her baby was coming soon.
“The nurse who was with me checked my progress and the baby was right there,” Joseph recalled. “There was no time for an epidural or even for my doctor to arrive. But my nurse was so encouraging. The staff was very supportive and despite all, the delivery went quite smoothly.”
With Antonia Zecevic, M.D., an OBGYN hospitalist who helps women if their doctor is unavailable or unable to reach the hospital in time, Joseph safely delivered her 6-pound, 6-ounce baby girl named Amai.
Unfortunately, Joseph was one of the estimated 25% of women who test positive for Group B Strep. To avoid passing the infection to babies, pregnant women who carry the bacteria are usually given an antibiotic during labor. Because Joseph labored so quickly once she got to the hospital, she wasn’t able to receive the full course of antibiotics before delivery. This is why getting checked before giving birth is very important. Look out for services that provide free ultrasounds in Bloomsburg, PA to get checked.
The hospital’s protocol in such circumstances is to place babies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) so they can be tested for the bacteria and monitored for signs of infection. Joseph remembers the NICU nurses and neonatologists Eduardo A. Otero, M.D., and Andres Rodriguez, M.D., fondly.
“After a healthy pregnancy and two previous trouble-free births, I was not mentally prepared for Amai to go to the NICU. It was unexpected and I was very emotional at first,” Joseph said. “But the NICU nurses were amazing, and Dr. Otero and Dr. Rodriguez were so kind and patient, walking me and my husband through every step of the process.”
Amai’s blood culture came back positive for the strep infection. Even though she wasn’t showing any symptoms, the decision was made to be cautious, start her on antibiotics, and keep her in the NICU for seven days for treatment and monitoring while she fought the infection.
Despite the extended stay, Joseph says this was an amazing birthing experience.
“I would definitely recommend Maternity Place to any woman wanting to give birth,” said Joseph. “This is the ideal place, and I wish everyone who cared for us the best. My family and I will never forget this journey, and our care team will always have a special place in our hearts.”
To learn more about Broward Health’s personalized maternity services, visit www.BrowardHealth.org/Maternity.
