ELYRIA, Ohio — News 5 has covered the maternal and infant mortality crisis in Northeast Ohio for years.
RELATED: Why it's important to learn about maternal health
Good Morning Cleveland anchor, Tiffany Tarpley, got a first-hand look at the efforts to increase access to prenatal care in rural areas.
University Hospitals' Mobile Obstetrics Unit brings ultrasounds to pregnant women in Lorain and Portage counties.
Julia O'Hara from Lorain said she was initially skeptical of getting an ultrasound inside a truck.
"In my head I'm thinking convenient-wise it's close to where I live, so I said yes, but I was a little apprehensive, I'm like oh, just in a trailer-type thing?" said O'Hara. "I didn't know what to expect and then showed up and it's just so nice and personal."
UH's Mobile OB Unit is staffed with specialty sonographers like Heidi Vitelli. She said the unit offers a more personalized experience with patients.
"You have more one on one time, it's just you and the patient, you can get into detail, it's really, really nice," said Vitelli.
Typically, two or three ultrasounds are performed during pregnancy. However, Dr. David Hackney, Director of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at UH, said some pregnant women could need monitoring weekly.
"For our high risk patients who need the higher levels of fetal imaging and are out in rural areas, it's very hard for them to get care, especially our patients in Portage, Elyria and Lorain," said Hackney. "Getting those ultrasounds can be a major barrier which we hope to specifically address with the truck."
O'Hara is keeping up with her ultrasound appointments. During her second exam inside the mobile OB unit, she learned the gender of her baby.
"That was really exciting to find out we're having a baby boy," said O'Hara. "It's all a little relieving to know everything's growing good and looks good."
UH's Mobile OB Unit operates Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at UH Portage Medical Center. The unit travels to UH Elyria Medical Center on Tuesdays and Fridays. Appointments are required. Click here for more information.
