It’s been a busy year for our Complete Care Pregnancy Team, the only one in the Cayman Islands that combines tertiary Obstetricians, a Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist and Neonatologists (Newborn Care Specialists), along with dedicated Midwifery, all within one service, as part of what we are calling a Complete Care approach. However, recently we saw the achievement of a major and exciting milestone for us, and me especially – we delivered our 50th baby under the Complete Care Team approach.
I am delighted to announce Baby Ava, born to delighted parents Megan and Michael, who is a picture of health and happiness, and a gorgeous, sweet baby too.
I, Dr Lisa Joels, OB/GYN to little Ava, only came to Grand Cayman in 2020, straight into quarantine. That makes this even more interesting. Recently, when interviewed, I made the comment; “It’s a little over a year when we formed our combined obstetric-neonatal team out of the belief that seamless care between disciplines was important to the best pregnancy journey and outcomes. What’s amazing is that given that it does generally take 9 months to produce even a single baby, reaching our 50th in this time is a massive endorsement of how patients or parents are viewing the Complete Care approach.”
Ava’s Mum, Megan, when asked why she chose us, said “Well, these OBGYNs were really well liked by mums in the groups I am part of and when I met Dr Lisa I felt really comfortable and I knew she was right for me”.
As part of Complete Care, baby Ava had Dr Jasmina Marinova, Neonatal Paediatrician, and just one of the paediatricians who form part of the Complete Care Pregnancy Team, at delivery. She commented “I am so pleased for Megan and Michael. Congratulations on gorgeous baby Ava. Her delivery was a calm, smooth and lovely one, which comes from a team working so well together, but our Complete Care approach becomes even more important if there are problems, when communication and understanding each other is often critical and urgent”.
We set up the Complete Care Team approach as a unique in the Cayman Islands to offer new level of care for pregnancies. Most know already that having all the disciplines necessary in the event of difficult or high-risk pregnancies – tertiary obstetrics, maternal-fetal medicine, neonatology and midwifery – is very important but often something typically confined to major centres in big cities. But now we have it here. Our Lead Neonatal Doctor, Dr Sara Watkin, Lead Neonatologist says; “I think it is even more important when you’re having your baby on an Island over 450 miles from a tertiary centre. Pregnancies can be high risk, complications can occur. The right complete team not only works together to minimise the risks, but it can react swiftly and smoothly when things don’t go according to plan. For instance, we’re privileged to have the only Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist OBGYN, Dr Madhavi Manoharan, allowing us to really plan higher risk pregnancies or assess unexpected findings swiftly.”
Right now, we’re celebrating the 50th milestone of what we set out to achieve. Baby Ava is such a beautiful baby, perfect to mark the 50th milestone. She’s an absolute treasure to Megan and Michael and we’d have to say she was a pleasure for the Complete Care Team, as she behaved all the way through pregnancy. Mum Megan says that she continues to behave perfectly. That’s something even our Complete Care Pregnancy Team can’t guarantee will continue, but we can wish Megan, Michael and Baby Ava all best wishes and to thank them for trusting us and our approach.
