Aug 3, 2022 Reporting from Niles, MI
Right place, right time - Bethany Curtis
https://www.spectrumhealthlakeland.org/medical-services/womens-health-services/pregnancy-care/our-patients-say-it-best/Detail/right-place-right-time/?utm_source=Right_place,_right_time&utm_medium=PatientStory_Landing&utm_campaign=InternalPages
Aug 3, 2022
Aug 3, 2022
SpectrumHealth Lakeland
Bethany and Mark Curtis reside in Stevensville, Michigan, where they started their family a couple of years ago. As soon as she became pregnant Bethany sought advice from co-workers to find local providers who offered quality maternity care.“I
Right place, right time - Bethany Curtis
SpectrumHealth Lakeland
https://www.spectrumhealthlakeland.org/ResourcePackages/SpectrumHealth/assets/img/sh_white_logo.png
Right place, right time - Bethany Curtis
Aug, 2022
Physicians: Benjamin Wood, DO; Betsy Fuzi, CNM
Bethany and Mark Curtis reside in Stevensville, Michigan, where they started their family a couple of years ago. As soon as she became pregnant Bethany sought advice from co-workers to find local providers who offered quality maternity care.
“I wanted a place where I felt comfortable, not rushed, and listened to,” said Bethany. “Many of my coworkers advised me to visit BellaNova Women’s Health. I was interested to learn about their obstetric model where both physicians and certified nurse midwives collaborate on patient care.”
It didn’t take long for the couple to welcome their first son, John. Twelve months later, the couple found out they were expecting baby number two. Although Bethany had a vaginal birth with her first child and anticipated the same with her second, an unexpected event took place.
Bethany arrived at the BirthPlace within Spectrum Health Lakeland Medical Center in St. Joseph after she started to feel contractions. She was greeted by certified nurse midwife, Betsy Fuzi. As Betsy monitored the baby’s heart rate, she noticed irregularities that had her concerned. While examining Bethany further, she felt that the umbilical cord had slipped in front of the baby’s head and into the vagina, causing the cord to be compressed and oxygen to be cut off to the baby. This is known as an umbilical cord prolapse. It is an uncommon but sometimes a fatal obstetric emergency.
To keep oxygen flowing to the baby, Betsy kept her hand in the vagina to support the baby’s head until delivery. Betsy explained that an emergency cesarean, or C-section, was necessary to deliver the baby quickly and safely.
“I was so nervous, but Betsy stayed very calm,” said Bethany.
Bethany was quickly taken to an operating room where Betsy remained by her side the entire time. She positioned the baby’s head so that he could breathe while obstetrician and gynecologist, Benjamin Wood, DO, was called to perform the C-section.
“I remember the nurses saying everything was going to be fine for me and my son,” said Bethany. “Once the anesthesiologist told me Dr. Wood was there, I felt immediate relief because he helped with the delivery of our first son.”
As Bethany was put under anesthesia, her husband, Mark, changed into a hospital gown and was quickly educated on what was happening to his family. Soon after, he was escorted to Bethany and in record time found himself holding his new and healthy son, James.
“Our baby was in great hands,” said Bethany. “We are grateful to everyone at the BirthPlace who helped keep us safe.”
An obstetric emergency can arise at any time during pregnancy, labor, or birth. Spectrum Health Lakeland hospitals in Niles and St. Joseph have received maternity care honors from third-party quality auditors that continuously exceed the national standard of obstetric care.
“The situation itself was scary at first, but we were amazed at how each person was in the right place at the right time,” shares Bethany and Mark.
Watch more of Bethany's story in the video below: