Pregnancy and Childbirth

Helmsley Maternity Emergency Department

Helmsley Maternity Emergency Department

The Helmsley Maternity Emergency Department at the Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh) is one of the busiest departments in the hospital. This department is the flagship of the Maternity Division, one of the largest in Israel, with extensive activity in all its areas. At the maternity emergency department, we admit women from the 23rd week of pregnancy onward, women arriving in labor, and women with medical problems during pregnancy. The staff provides dedicated and efficient care for thousands of women every year.

Message from the Director

“Every year, the department records a 5–6% increase in the number of births, and this is no coincidence. The division excels in the optimal conditions it provides to the mother and her family, from the moment of arrival in the maternity emergency department until the long-awaited discharge home with the new family addition,” explains Dr. Moshe Betzer, Director of the Maternity Division and Delivery Rooms.

Treatments and Procedures

In a normal pregnancy, the expectant mother arrives at the maternity emergency department, where she receives initial care in one of 12 separate reception rooms designated for women in the pre-labor stage. In the department, various pre-labor procedures are carried out, and treatment is provided based on urgency. Vital signs are measured (blood pressure, temperature, pulse), a urine sample is collected, and a gynecological examination is performed to assess the situation. To preserve the privacy of all women in the department, women enter without companions. If the woman is in active labor, she is transferred to the delivery room. Since triage rooms are located adjacent to the delivery suite, they can also serve as delivery rooms during periods of high demand and are equipped accordingly.

Delivery Rooms

Welcome to the delivery rooms at the Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh). Our skilled team is dedicated to safeguarding the health of both mother and baby, ensuring a positive and memorable birth experience. Additionally, the rooms are modern, fully renovated, and equipped with numerous facilities to ease and enhance the stay.

Message from the Director

Facilities and Equipment

The division boasts advanced delivery rooms with a home-like atmosphere, a comfortable and efficient maternity emergency department, a maternity ward, a high-risk pregnancy ward, an outpatient unit for high-risk pregnancies, and adjacent gynecological operating theaters with permanent staff, enabling immediate surgical procedures if needed.

The delivery rooms feature adjustable beds for various birthing positions, as well as bathrooms and showers, including a jacuzzi in one room. All rooms feature a television and a personal background music system.

The 11 private delivery rooms in the division embody the home-like and relaxed approach we wish to offer the mother and her companions. The rooms are renovated and designed to ensure comfort, fully equipped with the best of innovative facilities, to ease and enhance the stay. All delivery rooms ensure the utmost privacy and calm for the mother and her family. The hotel-like atmosphere is relaxed and pleasant, including a separate entrance for the fathers.

The Staff

The medical and nursing teams in the delivery rooms are deeply aware of the significance of childbirth in the lives of parents. They share their knowledge, experience, and openness, and guide the birth in any style the mother chooses. A birth plan can be prepared and submitted to the midwife upon arrival to align expectations with medical procedures and the condition of the mother and baby.

The team adheres to the philosophy of “letting nature take its course,” while remaining fully responsive to the mother’s needs. The team supports the mother with alternative relaxation techniques as chosen by the mother, such as breathing, movement, massage with oils, jacuzzi bath, etc. In addition, conventional pain relief can be administered (epidural anesthesia, pethidine, and others). About half of normal deliveries use an epidural based on the mother’s request and needs, and according to medical evaluation, without risking the mother. Two anesthesiologists are available in the delivery rooms at all times.

The delivery rooms are operated by a highly experienced multidisciplinary team, well-equipped to handle various situations professionally and successfully. Both the team and the department are prepared logistically by an advanced one-stop-shop approach. This is why the delivery rooms are located directly next to operating rooms, eliminating the need to move the patient to an external, distant operating location. This ensures that, in the event of an emergency, surgical intervention can be performed within minutes. Mothers may bring a doula (birth companion) for support during labor.

Treatments and Procedures

In a normal pregnancy, the expectant mother arrives at the maternity emergency department, where she receives initial care in one of 12 separate and new reception rooms designated for women in the pre-labor stage. In the department, various pre-labor procedures are carried out, and treatment is provided based on urgency. Vital signs are measured (blood pressure, temperature, pulse), a urine sample is collected, and a gynecological examination is performed to assess the situation. To preserve the privacy of all women in the department, women enter without companions. If the woman is in active labor, she is transferred to the delivery room. Since triage rooms are located adjacent to the delivery suite, they can also serve as delivery rooms during periods of high demand and are equipped accordingly. Each mother is allowed to bring two companions to the delivery room. A birth companion (Doula) is considered one of them.