STAT

Can a hurricane induce labor? Women in the path of Irma are worried

Squeezing cots into lobbies and hallways, Florida hospitals make room for pregnant women to ride out the storm in their facilities.

The phone has been ringing off the hook at Memorial Hospital West. Scores of pregnant women are calling — some crying; others panicking — all asking the same question: Can we stay there during Irma?

Many of Florida’s hospitals are built to withstand hurricane winds in order to protect patients. While most don’t act as emergency shelters, some make exceptions for expectant mothers facing high-risk pregnancies. They allow them to inflate mattress inside their walls, provided they bring their

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from STAT

STAT1 min read
STAT+: Senate Drug Shortage Bill Would Pay Hospitals Bonuses For Good Contracting Practices
A bipartisan Senate bill takes a new approach to persistent drug shortages: have Medicare pay bonuses to hospitals and physicians for contracting that ensures a steady supply.
STAT2 min read
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re Reading About GLP-1 Spending, Biosimilar Patient Costs, And More
Spending on GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy ballooned last year and they're set to cost the U.S. health care system and the federal government still more.
STAT2 min read
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re Reading About FTC Fighting ‘Junk’ Patents, Pfizer Direct-to-consumer Plans, And More
The FTC expanded its campaign against pharmaceutical companies for filing what it calls “junk” patent listings for 20 different brand-name treatments.

Related Books & Audiobooks