Welcome to the Northwestern Perinatal Network!
In November 1974, the Illinois Department of Public Health designated the Northwestern Perinatal Center as one of ten regional perinatal centers in the state. The Northwestern Perinatal Center is composed of the following Level III institutions:
- Prentice Women's Hospital of Northwestern Memorial HealthCare
- Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
- Evanston Women's Hospital of NorthShore University HealthSystem
Our goal is to provide quality maternal-fetal and neonatal care services to the families in the center's region of responsibility. Our core belief is that the center can best affect the quality of perinatal outcomes by providing leadership within the framework of a regionally integrated system of perinatal services designed to improve outcomes and promote appropriate use of services and resources. Facilitating the recognition of high-risk conditions and perinatal consultation, referral or transfer is central to improving outcomes. Also, perinatal services must be provided in an environment which is both professionally challenging to those who choose to serve in this area, as well as cost-effective in delivery for everyone's benefit.
The Northwestern / Evanston / Lurie Children's Perinatal Network is one of ten regionalized networks in the state of Illinois. As Level lll perinatal facilities, Northwestern and Evanston, with highly qualified staff of maternal fetal medicine and neonatal specialists, provide care to women experiencing complicated, high-risk pregnancies, as well as newborns with special care needs. Lurie Children's provides highly specialized care for the high-risk newborn.
As members of the perinatal center, all three institutions:
- accept referrals and transports of mothers and / or babies requiring Level lll care
- provide consultation and education to professional colleagues
- provide opportunities for colleagues to become involved in the governance and quality improvement of all facilities in the network
- Prentice Women's Hospital of Northwestern Memorial HealthCare
- Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
- Evanston Women's Hospital of NorthShore University HealthSystem
Our goal is to provide quality maternal-fetal and neonatal care services to the families in the center's region of responsibility. Our core belief is that the center can best affect the quality of perinatal outcomes by providing leadership within the framework of a regionally integrated system of perinatal services designed to improve outcomes and promote appropriate use of services and resources. Facilitating the recognition of high-risk conditions and perinatal consultation, referral or transfer is central to improving outcomes. Also, perinatal services must be provided in an environment which is both professionally challenging to those who choose to serve in this area, as well as cost-effective in delivery for everyone's benefit.
The Northwestern / Evanston / Lurie Children's Perinatal Network is one of ten regionalized networks in the state of Illinois. As Level lll perinatal facilities, Northwestern and Evanston, with highly qualified staff of maternal fetal medicine and neonatal specialists, provide care to women experiencing complicated, high-risk pregnancies, as well as newborns with special care needs. Lurie Children's provides highly specialized care for the high-risk newborn.
As members of the perinatal center, all three institutions:
- accept referrals and transports of mothers and / or babies requiring Level lll care
- provide consultation and education to professional colleagues
- provide opportunities for colleagues to become involved in the governance and quality improvement of all facilities in the network
Referral Services
The three tertiary centers each have complete genetic services, including counseling, diagnostic procedures, laboratory research and follow-up. Counseling and diagnostic services are available from preconception through adulthood. Genetics consultations and services are available to all network hospitals and professionals daily and via the obstetric hotline for emergencies.
Patients with a prenatal diagnosis of a fetal anomaly are cared for in special programs located at Prentice Women's Hospital and Evanston Hospital. Women with a suspected or confirmed diagnosis of an intrauterine anomaly may be referred from community hospitals to one of the two tertiary center programs. The Evanston Hospital program provides evaluation and care of the patient with suspected or diagnosed anomalies. Professionals from Prentice Women's Hospital and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago combine to form a fetal assessment and intervention team that meets monthly at Prentice. The team consists of professionals from maternal-fetal medicine, neonatology, pediatric subspecialties, such as neurosurgery, surgery, urology and cardiology, OB and pediatric ultrasound, social services, nursing, chaplain services, neonatal and developmental follow-up services and psychiatry. Families with fetal anomalies are provided with coordinated and comprehensive services through this team.
Patients with a prenatal diagnosis of a fetal anomaly are cared for in special programs located at Prentice Women's Hospital and Evanston Hospital. Women with a suspected or confirmed diagnosis of an intrauterine anomaly may be referred from community hospitals to one of the two tertiary center programs. The Evanston Hospital program provides evaluation and care of the patient with suspected or diagnosed anomalies. Professionals from Prentice Women's Hospital and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago combine to form a fetal assessment and intervention team that meets monthly at Prentice. The team consists of professionals from maternal-fetal medicine, neonatology, pediatric subspecialties, such as neurosurgery, surgery, urology and cardiology, OB and pediatric ultrasound, social services, nursing, chaplain services, neonatal and developmental follow-up services and psychiatry. Families with fetal anomalies are provided with coordinated and comprehensive services through this team.
Developmental Follow-up Services
Follow-up services are available for selected high-risk infants through comprehensive developmental services at Evanston and at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. Specific developmental strengths and weaknesses of these infants are delineated for their parents. Referral to community early intervention programs are made when necessary. The center makes all appropriate referrals to the Early Intervention Medical Diagnostic Network. Discharge from developmental follow-up services is determined jointly by staff and parents when the child is appropriately placed academically and has no need of further service.
