Health Signs Sits Down with OB-GYN Department Leaders

If you live in the Tri-City Area, you likely know people who were born or delivered their babies at Washington Hospital. Our first Washington Hospital baby came three hours after the Hospital opened its doors in 1958, and now an average of 120 newborns are welcomed in our Birthing Center every month. Health Signs interviewed three of our obstetrician-gynecologists (OB-GYN) to discuss why local women choose to deliver their babies at Washington Hospital.

Ouanza Puplampu, MD, Medical Director, OB Hospitalist Program

Health Signs: Tell us about the Obstetrics (OB) Hospitalist Program and why it’s important.

Dr. Puplampu: Someone from our OB hospitalist team is on duty 24/7 to handle emergencies, so expectant mothers can be confident a doctor is always on duty to help if their own doctor is not available. For instance, if a woman rushes to the Emergency Department or Birthing Center ready to deliver or has a complication like a lot of bleeding, we are there. Unlike other OB-GYNs, our whole focus is on labor and delivery, so we have the time to be dedicated to each patient, fully understanding their plan of care, and ensuring they know and are comfortable with everything that is happening. We provide personalized care, ensuring every mother has a voice in creating the safest, best possible experience for her and her baby.

Stacey Barrie, MD, WTMF OB-GYN and Medical Director of Maternal Child Health

Health Signs: What are women looking for when deciding on a place to deliver their baby?

Dr. Barrie: The number one thing women want is to ensure safety for themselves and their baby. This may include 24-hour availability of anesthesia and a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Expectant women want to feel heard and their culture respected with things like postpartum food choices for her and her partner. Women want the staff to communicate and work well together. They want a place that is comfortable and attractive. Good pediatric follow-up, including lactation support, is important and women want to deliver at a place that is a part of their community. These are all things that expectant mothers and families can count on at Washington Hospital.

Jessica Yuen-Kate Ing, MD, Department Chair, Maternal Child Health

Health Signs: What are the benefits of delivering at Washington Hospital?

Dr. Ing: Our biggest strength is the people who work here. We have an amazing team of nurses, OB-GYNs, anesthesiologists, pediatricians, and ancillary staff. Most of us have been around for a long time because we really like working here and feel we are providing excellent patient care. I had my own babies here for that exact reason. It’s an incredibly safe place to deliver with a dedicated team of people who take wonderful care of you. That’s what Washington Hospital offers — safe care from people you trust.

Special Deliveries

Washington Hospital is a designated Baby-Friendly Hospital, which means we encourage breastfeeding and provide full lactation support to mothers. Our UCSF-affiliated Washington Prenatal Diagnostic Center provides prenatal counseling, screening, and testing for maternal or fetal disorders which means our higher risk patients receive academic-level care here in Fremont. In our Birthing Center, mothers can undergo labor, delivery and recovery supported by a loved one in one of our 22 suites where babies room-in for optimal bonding. The Washington Special Care Nursery, staffed by top UCSF neonatologists and pediatricians, is the only level II neonatal NICU in the area. And our Washington Maternal Child Education Center offers prenatal classes, exercise sessions, and postpartum breastfeeding support and equipment to all new mothers in the District at low to no cost.

Learn more about our Maternal Child Services.