Perinatal hospice and palliative care

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Perinatal hospice/palliative care programs and support

As prenatal testing becomes increasingly routine, more parents are learning devastating news before their babies are born. In too many places, the ability to diagnose has raced ahead of the ability to care for these families and their babies. But in a beautiful and practical response, some pioneering hospitals and hospices are starting perinatal hospice or perinatal palliative care programs for families who wish to continue their pregnancies with babies who likely will die before or shortly after birth.

A perinatal hospice approach walks with these families on their journey through pregnancy, birth and death, honoring the baby as well as the baby's family. Even in areas without a formal program, parents can create a loving experience for themselves and their baby, and health professionals and family and friends can offer support in the spirit of hospice (see our resources pages).


Because the concept of perinatal hospice is relatively new, programs may vary in their scope of support and services. Many of the programs listed below are hospital- or clinic-based, some are hospice-based, and a few are faith-based or independent.


CALIFORNIA
Angel Babies/Bebitos Angelitos of Hinds Hospice, Fresno and Merced, California

Haven Hospice, Signal Hill, California

St. Joseph Health System Perinatal Comfort Care, Orange, California


San Diego Hospice and Palliative Care, San Diego, California

Skye's Angels Perinatal Hospice, Hospice of the East Bay, Pleasant Hill, California

TrinityCare Hospice
TrinityKids Care. Contact director Gay Walker, (310) 530-3800. Los Angeles, California
COLORADO
Fetal Concerns Program of the Colorado High Risk Maternity and Newborn Program, a collaborative program of the Department of Neonatology at The Children's Hospital and the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Women’s and Infants' Services at the University of Colorado Hospital. Contact Fetal Concerns Coordinator Nancy English PhD RN, (720) 777-8826. Denver, Colorado

The Denver Hospice. Contact: Krista Newton, LCSW, (303) 388-7949 x1235. Denver, Colorado

Hospice del Valle. Contact:
Lois Booth RN, (719) 589-9019. Alamosa, Colorado

String of Pearls, Denver, Colorado
FLORIDA
Community PedsCare, pediatric and perinatal palliative and hospice care, a program of Community Hospice of Northeast Florida in collaboration with Wolfson Children's Hospital, Nemours Children's Clinic and the University of Florida. Contact: program manager Terry Eason, (904) 407-6302, Jacksonville, Florida

Perinatal Hospice and Palliative Care at The Hospice of the Florida Suncoast. Contact: Julie Douglass, (727) 523-2425. Clearwater, Florida

GEORGIA
Hospice Atlanta Perinatal Palliative Care Program, (404) 869-3000. Atlanta, Georgia

Hospice of Northeast Georgia Medical Center perinatal program, (770) 533-8888. Gainesville, Georgia

Northside Hospital Perinatal Loss Office, Perinatal Palliative Care, Atlanta, Georgia

ILLINOIS
Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Women's & Children's Services palliative and bereavement prorgrams. Contact: Palliative care coordinator Kathie Kobler MS RN, (847) 723-7911. Park Ridge, Illinois

BJC Hospice Perinatal Program, Alton, Illinois

The Haven Network for Perinatal Death and Bereavement, (Christian-based support), Rockford, Illinois

Rush University Medical Center Fetal & Neonatal Medicine Program. Contact: Maria Reyes RNC MSN, (312) 942-7874. Chicago, Illinois

Karla Polaschek MD,
Medical Arts Ltd., (309) 779-4285. Moline, Illinois (See also Women's Choice Center, Bettendorf, Iowa)

INDIANA
Pathways at Clarian Health Partners, (317) 962-8135, Indianapolis, Indiana

St. Vincent Health Perinatal Care Hospice Services, Indiana
IOWA
Perinatal Hospice of Iowa, a multidisciplinary team approach at Mercy Medical Center. Contact: Bereavement and perinatal hospice coordinator Ann Valdez, Mercy Birthing Center, (515) 358-3030. Des Moines, Iowa

Women's Choice Center. Contact: Medical director Karla Polaschek MD. Bettendorf, Iowa (See also listing in Moline, Illinois)


KANSAS
Choices Medical Clinic, Wichita, Kansas
KENTUCKY
Bridges of Love, Central Baptist Hospital Perinatal Palliative Care Program. Contact: Perinatal Bereavement Coordinator Deborah Mueller RN BSN, (859) 260-6904. Lexington, Kentucky
MARYLAND
Rising Hope Perinatal Hospice, Howard County General Hospital (a member of Johns Hopkins Medicine). Contact: Mary Peroutka RN, (410) 884-4709. Columbia, Maryland
MICHIGAN
Angela Hospice Prenatal Program, Livonia, Michigan

Henry Ford Kaleidoscope Kids Hospice, Detroit, Michigan

Hospice of Michigan Perinatal and Pediatric Early Care Program. Contact Pediatric Programs Director Mary Spicketts RN, BSN, CHPN, (800)
642-4021. Grand Rapids, Michigan

Perinatal Hospice of Washtenaw, Ann Arbor, Michigan
MINNESOTA
Abbott Northwestern Hospital, Birth Center Case Management Specialists, (612) 863-7585. Minneapolis, Minnesota

Birth Center, United Hospital. Birth planning in special situations (pdf). Contact: Annette Klein RN, (651) 241-6206. St. Paul, Minnesota

Deeya (a Sanskrit word meaning "a small light"), a joint program of Children's Hospitals and Clinics in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis and United Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota

Lakewood Health System Perinatal Hospice,
(218) 894-8080 or (800) 525-1033. Staples, Minnesota

MISSOURI
Alexandra's House, Kansas City, Missouri

BJC Hospice Perinatal Program in St. Louis, Sullivan, and Farmington, Missouri

FOOTPRINTS, Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center, St. Louis, Missouri

Kansas City Hospice and Palliative Care Carousel Program prenatal services, Kansas City, Missouri

Wings perinatal hospice program, Children's Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri
NEW JERSEY
Circle of Life Children's Center. Contact: Director of Program Services Sheila Walsh APRN BC, (973) 972-1743. Newark, New Jersey

Valley Health System Butterflies Program, Paramus, New Jersey
NEW YORK
Caring Hearts Perinatal Program, Hospice Buffalo. Contact: Kelley Clem RN, (716) 686-8173 or (716) 686-8006. Buffalo, New York
Hospice Care Network, Contact: Mary Gravina CSW, director of bereavement, (631) 666-6873 x203. Long Island, New York

Maggie Rose Perinatal Bereavement Program, Hospice Care in Westchester and Putnam, (914) 666-4228. Tarrytown, New York

Perinatal Hospice Center, St. Vincent's Hospital, Greenwich Village. Contact: Director of neonatology Mary-Joan Marron-Corwin MD. (212) 604-7862. New York City
NORTH CAROLINA
Kids Path Perinatal Hospice Services, Hospice and Palliative Care of Greensboro, North Carolina
University of North Carolina Center for Maternal and Fetal Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
OHIO
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center/StarShine Hospice, Cincinnati, Ohio

Cleveland Clinic Fetal Care Center. Contact:
Donna Patno CNM DNP, 1-866-864-0430. Cleveland, Ohio

Hospice of the Western Reserve Perinatal Care Program, Cleveland, Ohio

Journey of Hope Perinatal Hospice, Miami Valley Women's Center. Contact: Nancy Jensen RN, (937) 298-9998, Dayton, Ohio

Perinatal palliative care, The Toledo Hospital/Toledo Children's Hospital, ProMedica Health System. Contact: social worker Kim Folk-Axe, (419) 291-5421, or Chaplain Julie Beitelschees, (419) 291-3656. Toledo, Ohio
PENNSYLVANIA
Lancaster General Women and Babies Hospital. Contact: Staff Chaplain Carolanne B. Hauck, 717-544-3418.

SOUTH CAROLINA
Carolina Perinatal Support Network, Greenville, South Carolina

Lowcountry Perinatal Support, North Charleston, South Carolina
SOUTH DAKOTA

Perinatal palliative care program, Sanford Children's Hospital. Contact: Larry Fenton MD or Pam Koepsell RN, (605) 312-1062. Sioux Falls, South Dakota

TENNESSEE
Alive Hospice Monarchs perinatal program, Nashville, Tennessee
Hospice of Chattanooga Perinatal Hospice, Chattanooga, Tennessee
TEXAS
The Fetal Center at Texas Children's Hospital/Baylor College of Medicine. Contact: Fetal intervention coordinator Karen Moise RN or newborn clinical specialist Caryn Douma MS RN, (713) 798-8621. Houston, Texas
UTAH
Angel Watch, Intermountain Health Care. Contact: Carolyn Kasteler RN, (801) 698-4486.  Salt Lake City, Utah

Rainbow Kids Palliative Care Program, Primary Children's Medical Center/University of Utah. Contact: Nurse coordinator Beth Nordfors RN, (801) 662-3770. Salt Lake City, Utah 

VIRGINIA
Family Birth Place at Mary Washington Hospital. Contact: Perinatal bereavement coordinator Tammy Ruiz RN, (540) 741-3268. Fredericksburg, Virginia

Perinatal Concerns Program, Inova Fairfax Hospital. Contact: Kelly Vergot RN, (703) 776-6103. Falls Church, Virginia

Tepeyac Family Center Kristin Anderson Perinatal Hospice Program, (703) 273-9440, Fairfax, Virginia

WASHINGTON
Lavender Tree, Care Net of Pierce County, (253) 770-8697 or e-mail. Puyallup, Washington

Sacred Heart Women's Health Center's Forget-Me-Not program, Spokane, Washington

Stepping Stones Perinatal Program, Providence Health System's Hospice of Seattle, Washington
WISCONSIN

Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Fetal Concerns Program palliative care, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Gundersen Lutheran Palliative Care. Contact: Waneeta Everson, BSN RN, (608) 775-3796. LaCrosse, Wisconsin



International

CANADA
Pediatric Palliative Care Program, Child Health Program, Capital Health. Contact: (780) 407-7210 (physician) or (780) 407-7652 (nurse coordinator), or e-mail Dawn Davies MD or Tara Wren. Edmonton, Alberta

Pediatric Palliative and Bereavement Care Service, University of Toronto Hospital for Sick Children. Contact: Palliative care and bereavement coordinator Lori Ives-Baine RN, (416) 813-6782. Toronto, Ontario

Canuck Place Children’s Hospice offers comprehensive pediatric palliative care and hospice support, including perinatal. E-mail or
phone: (604) 731-4847. Vancouver, British Columbia 

ITALY
La Quercia Millenaria, Rome
FRANCE
Soins Palliatifs en Maternité (Association SPAMA)
POLAND
Warsaw Hospice for Children and Perinatal Ultrasound Clinic, Warsaw
UNITED KINGDOM
The Rosie Hospital, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, England

The Maypole Project offers emotional psychosocial support, including prenatal support, integrated with children's hospices and children's hospitals in southeast London and Kent to ensure a holistic package of care.


If your organization provides formal or informal perinatal hospice support
and you would like to be added to this list, please contact us.