Contact: Nydia Negron/Renelda Walker - 718-579-5777

Bronx, New York - A ribbon-cutting ceremony today marked the official opening of Lincoln Hospital's new Labor and Delivery Suite, further enhancing the exceptional obstetric care and comprehensive maternity services provided by highly specialized and caring medical professionals. The new state-of-the-art birthing suite-spanning an area of approximately 12,000 sq. ft- occupies the 5A wing of the hospital and represents the final phase of a multimillion dollar capital investment that includes the modernization of the adjacent postpartum, neonatal and nursery units.

“Lincoln Hospital delivers approximately 2,400 babies annually,” said José R. Sánchez, Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center Executive Director and Generations+/Northern Manhattan Health Network Senior Vice President. “I am very proud of this latest investment in patient care that allows Lincoln Hospital to offer a family-oriented space and the benefit of cutting-edge medical technology to the mothers who choose to deliver their babies with us.”

The Birthing Suite offers spacious, comfortable, private and family-friendly rooms equipped with cozy lounge chairs, private bathrooms, personal closet, flat screen televisions and telephones. In addition to the many amenities, the obstetrical services provided at Lincoln Hospital have been carefully designed to respond to complex care such as high risk pregnancies and monitoring fetal well-being during the pregnancy stage. The recent upgrade of a state-of-the-art Fetal Monitoring System allows physicians to use this advanced technology to monitor fetal heart rate and other functions throughout the pregnancy. During the labor stage, fetal monitoring allows physicians to make quick decisions about the need to perform Cesarean sections when needed to prevent in utero injuries. The new birthing suite consists of eight labor and delivery rooms, two C-Section Operating Rooms, five exam rooms and a spacious recovery room.

“This new Birthing Suite complements Lincoln's other state-of-the-art obstetric services and furthers our public hospital system's core mission of providing comprehensive, high-quality health services beginning at birth,” said HHC President Alan D. Aviles. “Mothers will receive the expert medical care and supportive environment they need during labor and delivery. This investment will help us ensure that every baby has a healthy start and that every woman has a safe and happy childbirth experience.”

“Babies born here begin their lives in a safe and nurturing environment,” said Dr. Ray Mercado, Lincoln's Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology Services. “In addition to fetal monitoring, Lincoln Hospital is a state-designated Level III Perinatal Center and operates a neonatal intensive care unit to care for the needs of fragile infants. Complementing this highly specialized care, our nursing staff works closely with mothers to encourage breastfeeding, helping to give newborns the nurturing they instinctively need as they come into the world.”

Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center, located at 234 E. 149th Street in The Bronx, provides a full range of health care services to women of all ages, including family planning services, pregnancy testing, prenatal care, GYN exams, and cervical cancer screening. In addition, we provide a full spectrum of preventive services, including breast cancer screening exams with digital mammography, bone density exams to identify risks for osteoporosis and preventive vaccinations, including the flu vaccine. We are proactively managing chronic medical conditions, including high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, HIV, heart disease and other illnesses in an effort to promote a healing environment centered on the needs of our patients.

The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC), is a $6.3 billion integrated healthcare delivery system and the largest municipal healthcare organization in the country. HHC serves 1.3 million New Yorkers every year and nearly 450,000 who are uninsured. HHC provides medical, mental health and substance abuse services through its 11 acute care hospitals, four skilled nursing facilities, six large diagnostic and treatment centers and more than 80 community based clinics. HHC Health and Home Care also provides health services at home for New Yorkers. To learn more about HHC, visit www.nyc.gov/hhc.