Northwestern Perinatal Center Clinical Services
Maternal and Neonatal Transport
24-hour Obstetric Hotlines
Call for immediate consultation, referral, and transport of obstetric patients.
(847) 570-2230 at Evanston Hospital
(312) 472-0953 at Prentice Women’s Hospital
24-hour Neonatal Hotlines
Call for immediate consultation, referral, and transport of neonatal patients.
(773) 880-3940 at Children's Memorial Hospital (Consultations)
(800) 540-4131 at Children's Memorial Hospital (Transports)
(847) 570-2244 at Evanston Hospital
(312) 472-1002 at Prentice Women’s Hospital
Each of the three Level III institutions of the Northwestern Perinatal Center provide maternal and/or neonatal transport systems 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The system is accessed through the obstetrical or neonatal hotlines at each of the Level III institutions.
The Northwestern Perinatal Center is responsible for providing transport of all medically eligible perinatal patients requiring care at a Level III facility. Medical eligibility is determined by the perinatal center with decisions relating to transports being made collaboratively based upon the clinical judgments of the referring and receiving physicians. Should the perinatal center not be able to accept a network patient for transport because of a lack of beds (obstetrical or neonatal), the center assumes responsibility for placing that patient at another facility capable of providing the appropriate level of care.
Transportation of the patient remains the responsibility of the accepting Level III facility. Decisions regarding composition of a transport team and mode of transport are determined collaboratively by the receiving and referring physicians and nurses. Transport team members may include paramedics, nurses, and physicians.
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 for 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 Evanston Hospital and Prentice Women's Hospital. Women with a suspected or confirmed diagnosis of 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 Children's Memorial Hospital 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 pediatric neurosurgery, pediatric surgery, pediatric urology, and pediatric cardiology; obstetric and pediatric ultrasound; social services; nursing; chaplain services; neonatal and infant 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 Prentice Women's Hospital, Evanston Hospital, and Children's Memorial Hospital. Specific developmental strengths and weaknesses of these infants are delineated for their parents. Referrals 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.