A Team Effort: University Medical Center New Orleans Delivers Hope in a High-Risk Pregnancy

In May 2025, University Medical Center New Orleans carried out one of the most complex deliveries in its history. A mother with life-threatening lung and heart disease needed a premature delivery to survive. What followed was a coordinated effort that involved weeks of planning, dozens of physicians and staff, and nearly every major service line at University Medical Center and across the LCMC Health system.

“We pulled together more than 20 physicians and staff from multiple disciplines for one patient. This was the most complex delivery planning that we have ever attempted at University Medical Center,” said Stacey Holman, MD, Women’s Health Service Line Director and an LSU OB/GYN at University Medical Center and Touro Infirmary.

The patient, a woman in her early 40s, was referred to University Medical Center at around 23 weeks of pregnancy. She had interstitial lung disease, idiopathic pulmonary hypertension, insulin-dependent type 2 diabetes, and a history of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Her oxygen needs had quadrupled in just a few weeks.

“She couldn’t walk from one end of the hallway to the other,” said Tabitha Quebedeaux, MD, PhD, LSU maternal-fetal medicine specialist at University Medical Center and Touro Infirmary. “I had to help her understand how serious her condition was. In simple terms, if you have 10 patients with pulmonary hypertension, three to five of them will die. When I explained that, she realized how urgent her situation had become.”

She already had five children at home, the youngest in early adolescence and the oldest in their 20s. Her spouse and family were present at key points of the discussion about her plan of care.

“My heart was broken for her,” Dr. Quebedeaux said. “She wanted to continue the pregnancy, but I was scared for her because she was getting sicker every day. She wanted to go home to her family, and we had to help her survive this pregnancy.”

Building the Plan: Weeks of Collaboration and Preparation

The plan came together because of the strong foundation that University Medical Center has created for our community. University Medical Center serves as a Level 1 Trauma Center. This signifies the ability of a hospital to manage the most complex cases, particularly those requiring surgical treatment and intensive care unit expertise. In addition, the hospital is an academic medical center. This creates an environment where specialists can collaborate with each other. Both LSU and Tulane physicians were part of this patient’s team.

“I was charged with bringing together a team to safely care for this patient using the resources of our entire system,” said Dr. Holman. “Services included interventional cardiology, pulmonology, critical care, anesthesiology, maternal-fetal medicine, neonatology, surgical services, and others. We created an operating room environment capable of handling any potential scenario for this patient.”

In order to prepare for the delivery, calls were organized with physician and hospital leaders, running through every possible complication. Specialty leaders included:

• Dr. Holman, overseeing Women’s Services and coordinating the multidisciplinary team
• Dr. Quebedeaux, Maternal Fetal Medicine, guiding timing and surgical planning
• Dr. Tran, pulmonologist with expertise in pulmonary hypertension
• Dr. Ali, interventional cardiology
• Dr. Harrell-Mohamed, obstetric anesthesiologist
• Dr. Khan, ICU director and interventional cardiologist
• Dr. Mumphrey, neonatologist, prepared for resuscitation and immediate transport with support of the Manning Family Children’s transport team

“We pushed our system to do something we had never done before,” Dr. Holman explained. “Everyone knew their roles and we were ready to work together for one patient.”

The Day of Delivery: A Full Operating Room and a Second Team on Standby

At 27 weeks of pregnancy, 13 weeks early, the decision was made to proceed with a cesarean section. The patient was admitted directly to the ICU the day before surgery so cardiology and pulmonary teams could assess her heart and lungs and prepare necessary equipment in case her heart or lungs collapsed.

Dr. Harrell, obstetric anesthesiologist from Touro, joined the team at University Medical Center to place and manage the epidural, minimizing risks during anesthesia. Dr. Quebedeaux explained, “This team allowed me to focus completely on delivering the baby while all the specialists managed her heart and lungs minute by minute.”

The operating room had 15 people on the primary team, including cardiology, ICU, anesthesia, pulmonology, and maternal-fetal medicine. A second team, including the cardiac specialists and neonatologist, was positioned in an adjacent room. The blood bank was on alert, and equipment was prepared in the event of a postpartum hemorrhage.

“We had the ability to support her heart and lungs immediately if she collapsed by having our cardiology colleagues in the room,” said Dr. Holman. “We were prepared for any obstetric emergency with every detail was in place. It was one of the most complex and coordinated moments I’ve ever seen in my career.”

Dr. Quebedeaux performed the cesarean section, supported by the full team. “Everyone in that room was eager and focused,” she recalled. “I knew the risks, but I could concentrate on the surgery because every specialty was handling their piece flawlessly.”

The baby was born at 27 weeks and received advanced care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) but is now progressing well, including being weaned off oxygen support.

The mother faced postoperative setbacks tied to her chronic heart and lung disease, but the ICU team remained involved and managed her complications. She has since required additional readmissions, which reflects how serious her underlying conditions remain, but both mother and baby survived one of the most dangerous pregnancy scenarios possible.

What This Means for Future Patients

“This was a true example of collaboration,” said Dr. Holman. “We had each service line involved, all working together for a common goal. It shows what our health system can accomplish for patients who need the highest level of care.”

For Dr. Quebedeaux, the outcome was deeply personal. “Standing at that operating table with so much support around me, I felt grateful that we could give her and her baby a chance,” she said.

This delivery was proof of what is possible when academic partners, clinical specialists, and hospital leadership come together to support the needs of a high-risk obstetric patient. This was preparation, teamwork, and medical expertise at its highest level.

To learn more about the University Medical Center teams mentioned in this case, visit:
University Medical Center New Orleans | New Orleans, LA

To learn more about our maternity care partner hospital, Touro Infirmary, recently designated as a Level IV Regional Maternal Care Center, visit: https://www.lcmchealth.org/touro/our-services/family-birthing-center/quality/