High-Risk Pregnancy Care That Kept Mother and Baby Close to Home

The Case

A patient receiving prenatal care at St. Luke’s Hospital in Chesterfield, Missouri, needed maternal-fetal medicine support for a high-risk pregnancy involving complex medical needs. She had received in-person MFM care during a previous pregnancy, so she was initially concerned when she learned that, with this pregnancy, her specialist from Access TeleCare would consult virtually.

Throughout the pregnancy, the patient had multiple teleMaternal-Fetal Medicine visits in a St. Luke’s office faciliatated by local staff at her side. Access TeleCare’s MFM team provided ongoing ultrasounds, counseling, and specialty guidance while coordinating closely with her obstetric, labor and delivery, and neonatal care teams. When complications made delivery at 33 weeks the safest plan for mother and baby, the patient was frightened and needed time to understand what would happen next.

The Care Plan

In addition to providing expert clinical guidance, the Access TeleCare teleMFM specialist took the time to explain the precautions and care plan so the patient could fully process theinformation. The specialist made sure she understood why early delivery was recommended and had a voice in the plan. The patient later said she never felt ignored or excluded from decisions about her pregnancy.

St. Luke’s staff reinforced that support at every visit, helping coordinate care and remaining present during her virtual consultations. Together, the on-site and virtual teams put Access TeleCare’s Breaking Through the Screen™ approach into practice. The MFM team also provided expert backup to the inpatient team through delivery and postpartum recovery, allowing the patient to remain at St. Luke’s instead of transferring to another hospital.

The Result

The patient delivered her son safely at 33 weeks at her preferred local hospital of St. Luke’s. Her newborn then received several weeks of specialized NICU care before mom and baby were safely discharged home. What began with concern about virtual care became a relationship the patient described as personal, compassionate, and genuine. Having experienced in-person MFM care during a previous pregnancy, she said the virtual support she received through Access TeleCare and St. Luke’s was unmatched.

“Virtual care can sometimes feel distant, but with the MFM team and St. Luke’s staff, it felt personal, compassionate, and genuine.”

Tavia
TeleMaternal-Fetal Medicine Patient