Unexpectedly at age 40, Tracy Sharp, a Schererville resident, found that she was expecting again. Ten years earlier in 2007 she had her first child, a son, at St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago.
“Because I was over the age of 40, I fell under the category of ‘advanced maternal age’,” Sharp says. “Moms in this category have an increased risk for elevated blood pressure and other chronic age-related conditions such as an infant with Downs Syndrome or birth defects. Since I had pre-eclampsia with my first pregnancy that was definitely a concern my second time around as the risk increases with subsequent pregnancies.”
Because of the high-risk factors associated with her pregnancy, she opted for genetic counseling available through the High Risk Clinics at the Women’s Diagnostic Centers of Community Healthcare System.
“Counseling with Geneticist Dr. Zunich gave me a wealth of information and most importantly, peace of mind,” Sharp says.
At 38 weeks, Sharp delivered a healthy baby girl, 8 lbs., 4 oz. at St. Catherine Hospital, the hospital that her family had trusted for years.
“I was born here and my mom and dad were born here,” says Sharp, who also happens to serve as nurse manager of the Family Birthing Center at St. Catherine Hospital. “We’re a hidden gem with a very tight knit family bond. When you come in as a patient, we treat you as though you are part of our family. As a patient and an employee, to me that is priceless and I wouldn’t go anywhere else.”
For more information about the programs and services available through the Family Birthing Centers of Community Healthcare System, visit COMHS.org/baby.
