Every year in the United States, 3,500 infants between the ages of one month and one year die tragically – while sleeping – from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) or sudden unexpected infant death (SUID). These deaths are occurring in Black babies at twice the rate of white babies, and Alabama has one of the highest infant death rates in the country.

UAB Hospital was rated as “high-performing” – the highest level possible – in U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals for Maternity Care survey for 2022-2023.

Oct. 15 is National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, a health care observation recognizing one of the most emotionally difficult experiences that parents and medical professionals can face. There’s no way to make up for the loss of an infant, but hospitals can guide and support families throughout the grieving process. UAB Women & Infants Services provides support specialists as part of its comprehensive bereavement care for families.

UAB Medicine’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology was ranked No. 5 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. This achievement reflects the exceptional quality of care provided to UAB Medicine patients, which is supported by the department’s groundbreaking research and academic excellence.

In April 2021, the University of Alabama at Birmingham Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit team celebrated as Curtis Means was discharged after 275 days in the hospital. Six months later, Curtis and his team held another celebration as he was officially named the world’s most premature infant to survive by Guinness World Records. 

Fetal loss is emotionally traumatic. To make matters worse, women who have a miscarriage or stillbirth also must deal with the stress of procedures necessary to remove the deceased fetus. So the UAB Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN) developed a music therapy program to comfort mothers in this situation.

Each Mother’s Day we honor and celebrate the maternal figures in our lives and the positive impact they make. It’s also a good time to recognize that many new and expectant mothers may feel overwhelmed by the challenges motherhood brings. Janeen Arbuckle, MD, PhD, of UAB Medicine Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, provides advice that may be helpful for women and their partners as they navigate this exciting phase of life.

UAB Medicine once again achieved the highly prestigious international Baby-Friendly designation from Baby-Friendly USA, the accrediting body for the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) in the United States.

When we found out we were expecting twins, we were nervous about the usual things you expect when you first hear the word “twins”: twice the feedings, twice the diapers, and twice the sleepless nights. At 19 weeks, however, we found out that there were serious complications, and our initial worries couldn’t even compare. We had started our prenatal care at another Birmingham hospital, and were referred to a specialized hospital out of state for further testing and opinions.

Seeing a health care provider usually is the most reliable way to determine if you have a sexually transmitted disease (STD). In some cases, home testing for STDs provides a convenient or necessary alternative, but it may come with some drawbacks.

Individuals who are diagnosed with cancer can benefit from compassion and understanding shown by hospital volunteers. Patients at UAB Medicine's Breast Health Center (BHC) who experience such comfort from a stranger may suspect an angel is in their presence. In one sense, they would be correct.

In recognition of the 10th anniversary of the UAB Women & Infants Center (WIC), we asked some women who delivered babies or received care at the WIC to share their experiences. Michelle Granger describes the care and compassion she received as a patient.