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NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia today announced the opening of the Carmen and John Thain Labor and Delivery Unit, located on the top floor of the recently opened Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian. The new unit, which is part of the Sloane Hospital for Women, will offer women and their families a comfortable and technologically advanced health-care setting aimed at providing a first-rate birth experience.

Building on an initiative begun with last year's opening of the Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian, the new Labor and Delivery Unit represents the latest phase of the Hospital's ongoing commitment to providing exemplary care for women and children, said Dr. Herbert Pardes, President and CEO of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.

The Hospital is grateful for the forward-thinking and generosity of the Thain family, who, together with other dedicated trustees and friends made this historic opening possible, said Dr. Pardes. John Thain, a Hospital Trustee since 2000, and his family have had a long-standing interest in Sloane Hospital and women's health.

The new unit provides a comprehensive set of quality services for both mother and baby from routine screening tests to the most advanced diagnosis and management of high-risk births, said Cynthia Sparer, Senior Vice President and COO of Women's Children's Community Health at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.

The new Carmen and John Thain Labor and Delivery Unit at Sloane Hospital for Women offers patients ten spacious and light-filled labor and delivery rooms; three state-of-the-art operating rooms; a transitional nursery; triage and recovery units; waiting areas for families; and six high-risk antepartum beds.

At Sloane Hospital for Women, families are encouraged to participate in the celebration and joy of birth. Along with the highest quality medical care, the comfort and privacy of women and their families are given top priority, said Dr. Mary D'Alton, Director of Service for Sloane Hospital for Women at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia and the Willard C. Rappleye Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Highlights of the new facility include labor and delivery rooms with private bathrooms and sweeping views of the Manhattan skyline. Decentralized admitting and nursing stations will allow for an easier admitting process for patients and clinical staff will have better access to all patients. The three-zone patient room design takes into account the needs of the patient, family and clinical staff by providing an area where family members can sleep and distinct areas for clinical care.

The new facility proudly continues a century long tradition of excellence in specialized obstetric and gynecologic care at Sloane Hospital for Women, said Dr. D'Alton.

Upcoming developments at the Sloane Hospital include renovation of the Antepartum and Postpartum Units; the introduction of the Center for Prenatal Pediatrics; the opening of the Multiple Birthing Center; and the results of the FASTER Trial, a nationwide clinical trial to calculate the risk of chromosomal abnormalities.

The Hospital, where 3,550 babies were delivered in 2003, is home to nationally recognized physicians and staff. The Hospital's team of physicians, nurses, genetic counselors, and other medical services work together to provide each patient with a coordinated program of care to meet their individual goals. Physicians include premier specialists in the management of multiple pregnancies, fetal anomalies and other challenging conditions that may arise during pregnancy. The Hospital, which offers specialized expertise in ultrasound imaging and the most current prenatal diagnostic procedures for advanced fetal assessment, is also equipped to manage pre-existing and newly detected maternal medical complications such as hypertension, cardiac disease and diabetes.

The Sloane Hospital for Women was founded in 1887 and in the 1930s became known for groundbreaking studies of the morphology of the female pelvis and the mechanism of labor as well as the understanding of amniotic fluid and placental transfer. During the 1950s, a Sloane physician developed the Apgar score for quickly assessing the health of newborns. Today the Apgar score is used throughout the world. Sloane physicians made pioneering efforts in ultrasound and the development of Rhogam which has allowed women who have Rh-negative blood to deliver healthy babies.