The New Year rang in three times as sweet for expectant parents Mr. and Mrs. Mark Thompson when their triplet baby girls were born at 12:45 a.m., January 1, at South Miami Hospital’s Center for Women & Infants [1]. Alexa, Jenna and Emma – born by cesarean section within one minute of each other – weighed 3 pounds, 12 ounces; 3 pounds, 7 ounces; and 3 pounds, 2 ounces, respectively. Obstetrician Orlando Leon, M.D., [2] delivered the first babies born at a Baptist Health South Florida hospital in 2015.
“It was an honor and very exciting to help Mrs. Thompson celebrate the new year with the safe and healthy birth of her baby girls,” said Dr. Leon, who has been delivering babies in Miami for more than 30 years and also is a member of South Miami Hospital’s Board of Directors. [3]
The Thompson family, who lives in the Cayman Islands and traveled to South Miami Hospital to deliver their baby girls, now totals six, including their 9-year old son. With a limited number of Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) in Cayman, the Thompsons decided to travel to South Miami Hospital’s Center for Women & Infants, where there 49 Level II and III NICU beds, making it one of the largest NICUs in the region. Coordinating with Mrs. Thompson’s physician in Cayman, Dr. El Madany, Baptist Health International [4] facilitated her travel and transfer of care to Dr. Leon and South Miami Hospital. Each year, more than 250 expectant mothers travel from abroad to deliver their babies at a Baptist Health South Florida hospital.
“We are proud to be known as a premiere international medical destination for neonatal and perinatal care and are honored that so many parents entrust the care of their precious newborns to us,” said Jorge Perez, M.D. [5], medical director of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at South Miami Hospital and chairman of the hospital’s Center for Women & Infants.
About South Miami Hospital’s Center for Women & Infants
More than 4,700 babies are born each year at South Miami Hospital’s Center for Women & Infants. In 2013, the Center was among the first 10 hospitals in the country to earn two maternity-related Joint Commission Gold Seals of Approval at the same time: one for prematurity [6]and one for pre-term labor. [7] In addition to maternity and NICU, services for women and infants available at South Miami Hospital include specialized maternal-fetal care for high-risk pregnancies and unborn babies; fibroid and cancer treatment; minimally-invasive, weight-loss, breast reconstruction, cosmetic and robot-assisted surgery; pelvic health and incontinence testing and therapy; infertility and reproductive medicine; a Child Development Center; and advanced diagnostic imaging, including digital mammography, MRI, PET/CT scans, coronary artery imaging, ultrasound and bone density testing. For more information, visit CenteredOnMe.com [8]or call 786-662-8585.
About Baptist Health International
Baptist Health International is one of the largest and busiest international healthcare programs in the United States. Serving over 8,000 patients annually from around the world, Baptist Health International offers 24-hour emergency on-call services; coordination of all medical, hospital and diagnostic appointments; medical second opinions; and concierge services.
About Baptist Health South Florida
South Miami Hospital is part of Baptist Health South Florida [9], the largest faith-based, not-for-profit healthcare organization in the region. Baptist Health also includes Baptist Hospital, Baptist Children’s Hospital, Doctors Hospital, West Kendall Baptist Hospital, Homestead Hospital, Mariners Hospital in Tavernier, Baptist Cardiac & Vascular Institute, Baptist Outpatient Services, Baptist Health Medical Group and Baptist Health Enterprises. Baptist Health Foundation, the organization’s fundraising arm, supports services at all hospitals and facilities affiliated with Baptist Health. Connect with BaptistHealthSF on Facebook [10], Twitter [11]and YouTube [12].