Based on the positive experience she had with OB/GYN Marilyn Loh Collado, M.D., from Riverview Medical Center, Marisa was comforted by Dr. Loh Collado and the team of high-risk specialists from the Perinatal Institute — and she knew twins would be an exciting journey.
But in week 27 of her pregnancy, it became clear it wouldn't be routine. Marisa woke up bleeding and went to Riverview, where she was given medication to slow her contractions. She was released but put on bed rest. A home monitoring system ensured that vital information — such as contractions and blood pressure level — was immediately available for her check-in calls.
When she was at just 32 weeks, Marisa went back to the hospital after experiencing pain all night. An ultrasound revealed that her twins needed to be delivered right away.
She was given a minute to call her husband, who was nearby making a surprise new-car purchase to be able to fit three baby car seats.
An Early Delivery
The delivery went smoothly, but her babies — Kyle and Kaitlyn — each weighed less than 4 pounds. The twins were stabilized and taken care of at Riverview under the care of Dr. Loh Collado and her pediatric colleagues. Based on additional ongoing pulmonary and infant management needs, the babies were then transported to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital at Jersey Shore University Medical Center.
Marisa stayed at Riverview for four days, and Kyle and Kaitlyn were never far from her mind. "The nurses were so nice, and Dr. Loh Collado is the best, but I just wanted to get to my babies," she says. "I felt guilty not being with them."
From Riverview, Marisa called the NICU at Jersey Shore every day. The nurses gave her updates and explained how the babies were getting stronger while in critical care the first week. As soon as she was released, Marisa headed to Jersey Shore, where a wheelchair awaited her. She was taken straight to the NICU.
Expert NICU Care Saves Lives
During the month they were in the NICU, a team of neonatologists and nurses was involved in the care of the two babies.
"During this critical juncture, we monitor the babies, including vital signs, oxygen saturation, and how hard babies are working to breathe," explains Avinash Purohit, M.D., a board certified neonatologist at K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital. "Kyle needed a breathing tube to help his lungs function. Once he was breathing on his own, he needed a CPAP device to help keep his airways open and ensure he was getting enough oxygen."
"The nurses were so supportive of me," says Marisa. "They knew how to keep me calm. And the doctors were always available and answered all our questions."
In the NICU, Dr. Purohit talked with Marisa and Roger often and included the twins in an investigational study to determine lung maturity.
Kyle was in the NICU four weeks and Kaitlyn for three. Both were released with heart and lung monitors, which sound an alarm when readings do not fall within normal limits.
Follow-Up Care
In July, the babies were taken off the monitors. Marisa continues to take Kyle and Kaitlyn to K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital on a regular basis, where they receive physical therapy for torticollis, or involuntary muscle spasms in the neck.
They also visit the Infant Apnea Center, where neonatologists provide diagnostic testing and clinical followup evaluation. The babies have received vaccinations that may help prevent respiratory syncytial virus, which can cause a lung infection and can be serious in premature infants.
By the time they were 10 months old, Kyle and Kaitlyn each weighed more than 20 pounds. They will continue to be seen every month in the Infant Apnea Center and Infant/Toddler Assessment Program, where progress is closely monitored and followup screenings are performed with developmental neurologists.
Marisa is confident in the team at K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital. "I don't think there's anything they can't handle," she says. "They have a specialist for everything." — Ryan Younger
About the Doctor
Avinash Purohit, M.D.
Board certified in Neonatology
Neptune | 732-776-4283
