Michael Acarregui, MD, and John Dagle, MD, PhD, specialists in the Division of Neonatology at University of Iowa Children’s Hospital, were faced with a serious dilemma early in the morning of December 11, 2007.

A woman at the Henry County Medical Center, Mount Pleasant, gave birth to a premature, 26-week old baby girl shortly after 6 a.m. on December 11. Normal births occur at about 40 weeks. The Henry County hospital did not have all of the necessary equipment to care for such a premature infant. Normally, the baby would have been transported to UI Children’s Hospital, but an ice storm grounded AirCare, the emergency medical helicopter based at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. In addition, the icy conditions also prevented ground ambulances from traveling to Mount Pleasant.

The physicians’ solution? Go to the baby. They got an emergency kit designed to care for premature infants and drove Acarregui’s car to Mount Pleasant. The 47-mile trip took about an hour. They treated the baby’s underdeveloped lungs to help them function better and placed umbilical lines. A mechanical ventilator was not available, so they used a hand bag to help her breathe.

By the time the physicians completed those life-saving steps, the roadways were more passable. A Henry County Ambulance crew helped assemble a carrier to safely transport the baby to Iowa City. The ambulance arrived just before 1 p.m. and the care team took the infant directly to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

The baby, Dorotea Orgovanyi, remains in good condition. She will receive care in Iowa City for 12 to 14 weeks. The NICU at UI Children’s Hospital has a 94 percent survival rate for infants such as Dorotea.

For more information:

University of Iowa Children's Hospital