St. Luke sets a record for births in 2007

170 babies were born at St. Luke Community Hospital in 2007. That marks the most number of babies born in the history of the Ronan hospital topping the 164 recorded in 1990. The number also marks an 11% increase over the 152 deliveries in 2006.

2008 is off to a fast start with two babies born in the first two days of the New Year. Kara Lynn Christensen was the first to arrive at 8:22pm on January 1. The 8 lb 4 oz baby girl is the second child of Shawn and Jennifer Christensen of Hot Springs.

The first baby of the New Year delivered by Dr. Ed Vizcarra of the Mission Mountain Medicine clinic in Ronan received a gift basket from over twenty merchants from Polson, Ronan, Pablo and St. Ignatius. The total value of the gift certificates in the basket topped $500 according to Mary Bautista, OB nurse supervisor at St. Luke.

Steve Todd, Chief Operating Officer at St. Luke, adds, "The fact that we have six excellent physicians providing obstetrics has greatly contributed to our growth in the number of deliveries. Mom's-to-be have more choices as to who they want providing that obstetrical care," Todd points out.

Physicians who perform obstetrics at the healthcare network are Drs. Paul Gochis, Cara Harrop and John Williams at Mission Mountain Medicine in Polson. Drs. Sharla Hart, Hikmat Maaliki and Ed Vizcarra provide OB services at Mission Mountain Medicine in Ronan.

In addition to help moms-to-be learn about pregnancy, labor and the birth process, Linda Cox, Certified Childbirth Educator (CCE), conducts six childbirth education classes each year at St. Luke. The next scheduled class is this Saturday, January 12, from 8am to 5pm in the large conference room of the Ronan hospital. This particular class is open to all expectant mothers with due dates between February 9 and April 19 regardless of doctor preference or where the delivery will take place.

More information about enrollment in the childbirth education class can be obtained by contacting Linda Cox at St. Luke Community Hospital in Ronan at 676-4441.