It was a record year for births at the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA).
CKHA reported the Women and Children’s Program delivered 931 babies this past year, a significant increase from the 866 births recorded in the previous year, and 781 births the year before.
Hospital officials said the record number of births reflects the steady growth in Chatham-Kent.
September and October were the peak months for deliveries, with staff on the unit observing an increasing number of families choosing to make Chatham-Kent their home, noted CKHA.
"It has been an incredibly rewarding year for our team, and we are honored to serve our growing community," said Jessica Johnston, Clinical Manager of the Women and Children's Program. "When a life is brought into this world, it is a privilege to aid in the comfort and experience of the whole family during their stay and journey at CKHA."
The growth of the Women & Children’s unit at CKHA aligns with the organization's broader mission to respond to the health needs of Chatham-Kent and provide patient-centered care and enhance specialized services, said CKHA.
“"As an obstetrician-gynecologist at CKHA, it is incredibly rewarding to see our Women and Children’s Program continue to grow and evolve,” said Dr. Jessica Smith, OBGYN. “Welcoming a record number of babies into our community is a testament to the trust families place in our team, and having access to new equipment helps ensure we can provide the highest quality care possible."
The hospital said specialized clinical procedures to support expecting parents, and newborns and a Pediatrics team with expertise in neonatology ensures that more families can remain in Chatham-Kent rather than being transferred to care centers far from home.
"We understand how stressful it can be for families to travel outside our community for specialized medical care, especially during such a monumental milestone as the birth of a child," said Dr. Yasser Soliman, Chief Physician of the Women and Children’s Department. "By keeping our advanced neonatal and pediatric services close to home, we aren't just providing exceptional clinical care, we are ensuring that new parents have their local support systems right beside them when they need them most."
Click here for more information about the Women and Children’s Program at CKHA.
