Alabama mom pregnant with triplets seeks high-risk perinatal care in Pensacola

In August, Ben and Sara of Ozark, Alabama, received life-changing news. They were expecting multiples—triplets, to be exact. Shocked yet excited, the couple embraced the reality that their small family was about to expand in a way they never imagined. "Like that, we went from a small family to a big one in one fell swoop," Sara remarked with a thoughtful smile.

At 20 weeks, aware of the high risks associated with a multiple pregnancy, Sara and Ben sought specialized care at the Ascension Sacred Heart Regional Perinatal Center (PSU) in Pensacola. The couple committed to a comprehensive medical care plan, they drove two and a half hours for frequent checkups to closely monitor both maternal and fetal health. By late November, doctors grew increasingly concerned about one of the triplets due to issues with blood flow in the umbilical artery. Maternal-fetal medicine specialists (MFM) carefully monitored each heartbeat and ultrasound as they awaited confirmation that the baby's condition was stabilizing.

For women requiring close monitoring during pregnancy, your doctor can arrange for a transfer to our inpatient high-risk pregnancy unit at Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola. Here, our board-certified MFM specialists work diligently to ensure the health of both mother and baby. 

At 27 weeks, Sara and Ben believed they were headed for a routine checkup at the Ascension Sacred Heart Regional Perinatal Center in Crestview. But on December 26, everything changed. During the ultrasound, the technician’s expression shifted, and soon, the doctor entered with an urgent tone. He explained that one of their triplets—a baby girl—was showing reverse end-diastolic flow. Within two hours, Sara was admitted to the PSU in Pensacola for observation. Recognized as a Regional Perinatal Intensive Care Center (RPICC) for its high quality of care, Ascension Sacred Heart is fully equipped with specialized care and state-of-the-art medical equipment to handle such critical cases. It soon became clear that hospitalization was necessary to ensure the triplets could continue developing until Sara reached 30 weeks.

During her time at the PSU, Sara had compassionate nurses who significantly improved her experience. The nurses monitored the triplets four times a day, often facing challenges in locating the active babies on the monitor and sometimes requiring multiple nurses in the room to assist.

Sara shared, "Being a mom to triplets is a joyful experience. From the moment I found out I was having multiples, I knew I would be a NICU mom." 

She understood early that her pregnancy would not be picture-perfect; she prepared and selected the medical options to handle both her and her baby's potential complications associated with premature babies. Fortunately, Sara and Ben found comfort in knowing that specialists are dedicated to ensuring the safe delivery of their little ones at Ascension Sacred Heart.

On January 17, the moment came. Sara, thirty weeks and two days, underwent a c-section. Each Hile baby was transported down the hall toStuder Family Children's Hospital at Ascension Sacred Heart Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for additional care. 

Ascension Sacred Heart Regional Perinatal Center provides specialized medical care to women with high-risk pregnancies and their babies. As one of only 11 such centers in Florida, we provide high-risk pregnancy care in all treatment settings and education regarding diagnosis, treatment, and outcome expectations. Inpatient high-risk pregnancy hospital stay and around-the-clock monitoring leading up to delivery. Satellite outreach clinics across Northwest Florida offer outpatient consultations. 

Learn more about personalized care for high-risk pregnancy, labor, and delivery by visiting Ascension.org