Virtua Health experienced a true “baby boom” in 2021, setting a new record for the health system.
Virtua, which provides maternity services at three hospitals — Virtua Voorhees, Virtua Mount Holly (formerly known as Virtua Memorial) and Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes in Camden — as well as the new Midwifery Birth & Wellness Center, welcomed 9,109 babies in the calendar year 2021, which is more than a 7% increase over 2020.
As part of that impressive number, Virtua is pleased to have been assisted in the births of 79 babies born to displaced mothers from Afghanistan currently residing at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and throughout southern New Jersey. It is projected that approximately 25 Afghan babies will be born at Virtua hospitals each month in 2022.
Significantly, all of these births occurred during the pandemic and under safety measures designed to keep tiny patients and their families safe.
Virtua was recognized by U.S. News & World Report this year on its inaugural list of Best Hospitals for Maternity Care. This list includes 237 high-performing hospitals across the U.S.
Strict protocols established over the last several years have significantly lowered C-section and episiotomy rates, provided for the rapid treatment of hypertensive patients and provided risk assessments for a patient’s potential for hemorrhage.
All of Virtua’s maternity staff members — physicians, laborists and nurses — are involved in decision-making processes and the development of protocols, which benefits the staff as well as their patients.
“The education and engagement of all team members is critical to our care delivery model. This inclusion results in a comprehensive and collaborative approach to patient care,” said Dr. Nicole Lamborne, Virtua’s vice president of clinical operations for women’s health. “We welcome the input of our nurses, who play a vital role in how patients are managed and improves maternal outcomes. The entire team needs to have the same level of engagement for a successful result.”
