Elmhurst Hospital in the Queens borough of New York City, part of NYC Health + Hospitals, on July 20 opened a new mother-baby training simulation center meant to reduce adverse maternal outcomes during childbirth, particularly among women of color, Queens Courier reported.
The $250,000 lab consists of two rooms where obstetrician teams train with a mannequin of color and a mannequin infant. The simulations mimic life-threatening conditions that can occur during labor and birth, such as maternal hemorrhage, hypertensive urgencies and neonatal resuscitation.
"Having an on-site OB sim lab at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst is critical for so many of our patients, who often come from underserved communities and have high-risk pregnancies," said Helen Arteaga Landaverde, the hospital's CEO. "Our staff is very excited to expand Elmhurst's mission of eliminating health disparities and ensuring good outcomes for new moms and their babies," she told the news outlet.