Kara McCreary was a “pro” at undergoing ultrasounds. Having brought four children into the world, she was eager to hear the heartbeat and see the image of her fifth baby. But none of her experience prepared her for the word Lane Moskoff, MD, of Stoneridge OB/GYN Associates spoke: “twins.”

“Twins were such a surprise,” Kara said. “I laughed. I didn’t know what else to do. I was in shock.” The news also astonished Kara’s husband, Brian. At the same time, however,  the couple was delighted.

Twins put Kara’s pregnancy at greater risk for complications, so Kara’s obstetricians at Stoneridge suggested she consult with a perinatologist, or maternal-fetal medicine specialist. Perinatologists specialize in the diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care of expectant mothers and their unborn babies who may be at high risk for special health problems. A busy mother, Kara preferred to receive most of her prenatal care in Sellersville and hoped to deliver at Grand View. Her perinatologists worked closely with her obstetricians to make this possible.

Near the end of her pregnancy, Kara underwent frequent ultrasounds to monitor the babies’ growth and development. Images showed that the smaller twin, whom they had named Mark, was not growing adequately, so Kara’s physicians scheduled a C-section. Nicholas Lindberg, MD, and Michael Chmielewski, MD, delivered the twins at 34 weeks on August 25, 2008, far short of Kara’s October 2 due date.

Mark weighed in at 4 pounds, 6 ounces. His sister, Maggie, was 5 pounds, 4 ounces. Specialists from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia were onsite at Grand View to care for these newborns and provide for their special needs. “I was so happy they didn’t need to be transferred,

” Kara said. Maggie was released from the hospital one week after her birth, while Mark stayed a week longer. Leaving him was the hardest part of Kara’s experience. “I was so emotional because I had never left the hospital without my baby before,” Kara said. “The nurses were wonderful. They told me I could call them any time, day or night. Once in the middle of the night, I just started crying. My husband and I called and spoke with the nurses. We knew Mark was in excellent, caring hands. That was very comforting.

” By their first birthday, Maggie and Mark were crawling at a fast clip. The twins’ older siblings – Karlie, 13; Josh, 11; Matthew, 8; and Jason, 4 – are having a blast keeping up with their youngest family members.

source: Annual Report 2009