Texas Children's Pavilion for Women opens outpatient services; labor delivery services slated for spring 2012

Texas Children's Hospital announced today the opening of outpatient services at its landmark new facility, Texas Children's Pavilion for Women. The opening of the Pavilion for Women will launch in two phases, with the outpatient clinics for obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) and maternal and fetal medicine marking the first phase of operations. Labor and delivery services are scheduled to relocate from St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital to the Pavilion in spring 2012. When fully operational next year, Texas Children's Pavilion for Women, located at 6651 Main St. in the Texas Medical Center, will be one of the nation's premiere facilities for women's, fetal and newborn health. 

"With the opening of outpatient services at Texas Children's Pavilion for Women, we are excited to see the vision that we all share becoming a reality. We are offering comprehensive care for women, mothers and babies," said Dr. Michael Belfort, obstetrician and gynecologist-in-chief at Texas Children's Hospital and chair of the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine. "The Pavilion for Women is a state-of-the art facility with the latest technology, a patient- and family-centered approach and programs designed to take care of the highest risk mothers and babies." he said. 

Starting today, the Pavilion for Women's outpatient services will bring together physicians from Texas Children's Hospital and its academic partner Baylor College of Medicine specializing in: obstetrics, gynecology, maternal fetal medicine, reproductive endocrinology and fertility, urogynecology, gynecologic oncology, genetics, and women's and fetal radiology. 

Baylor College of Medicine Obstetrics and Gynecology, the first of three OB/GYN practices to operate from the new Texas Children's facility, is located on the third floor. Two additional top-tier OB/GYN practices, The Women's Specialists of Houston and Partners in OB/GYN Care, are scheduled to relocate to the Pavilion in summer, 2012. 

Texas Children's Maternal and Fetal Center is now open on the Pavilion's fourth floor and is one of only a few worldwide to offer a full spectrum of maternal and fetal medicine. Comprehensive services include: management of any complex pregnancy, genetic counseling, and the full range of fetal diagnostic procedures. In addition, the Fetal Center provides highly specialized fetal surgeries for a number of congenital malformations. Texas Children's is one of the nation's leaders in providing high-risk maternal care and the diagnosis and treatment of abnormalities in unborn and newborn infants. 

In conjunction with the start of outpatient services, Texas Children's also opened the Pavilion's signature two-level circular sky bridge, connecting the facility to the hospital's West Tower and Clinical Care buildings. The bridge's design provides unobstructed vistas and safe, private and comfortable passage for patients and staff on its upper level and general pedestrian passage on its lower level. 

Three levels of the Pavilion's underground parking garage have been opened to accommodate patients and families. 

With a focus on high-risk births, the 15-story, 1.3 million-square-foot Texas Children's Pavilion for Women will be fully operational in spring 2012 with 106 patient beds and the capacity to deliver 5,000 babies annually. For more information, visit http://women.texaschildrens.org/.

About Texas Children’s Hospital

Texas Children’s Hospital, a not-for-profit health care organization, is committed to creating a healthier future for children and women throughout the global community by leading in patient care, education and research. Consistently ranked as the best children’s hospital in Texas, and among the top in the nation, Texas Children’s has garnered widespread recognition for its expertise and breakthroughs in pediatric and women’s health. The hospital includes the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute; the Feigin Center for pediatric research; Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women, a comprehensive obstetrics/gynecology facility focusing on high-risk births; Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus, a community hospital in suburban West Houston; and Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands, a second community hospital planned to open in 2017. The organization also created the nation’s first HMO for children, has the largest pediatric primary care network in the country and a global health program that’s channeling care to children and women all over the world. Texas Children’s Hospital is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine. For more information, go to www.texaschildrens.org. Get the latest news by visiting the online newsroom and Twitter at twitter.com/texaschildrens.