As national concerns about preterm birth and maternal health continue, HCA Florida Brandon Hospital is highlighting the comprehensive care available locally to support pregnant patients and babies. From women’s care and high-risk pregnancy services to maternal-fetal medicine, specialized diabetes support and neonatal intensive care, Brandon Hospital continues to expand its maternal and newborn services to meet the needs of a growing community and provide families with access to specialized care close to home.
The 2025 March of Dimes Report Card gave the United States a D-plus grade for preterm birth for the fourth consecutive year. In 2024, preterm births affected nearly 380,000 babies in the U.S., representing one in 10 births. The report notes that certain health conditions, including diabetes and hypertension in pregnancy, can increase the likelihood of preterm birth or other poor birth outcomes. Nationally, access to early prenatal care continues to decline with nearly one in four women beginning care after the first trimester.
Brandon Hospital uses an integrated care approach that includes women’s care, maternal-fetal medicine, obstetric care, diabetes support, perinatal navigation and NICU services. The hospital also convenes multidisciplinary meetings with maternal-fetal medicine physicians, obstetricians and gynecologists, neonatologists and pediatric subspecialists to help coordinate care for complex pregnancies.
A perinatal nurse navigator at Brandon Hospital helps patients understand their maternal fetal medicine care plan, coordinates appointments, supports communication with physicians and connects families with education, resources and emotional support. As patients progress to labor and postpartum and potentially having their baby cared for in the NICU, they have nurses that help guide them through their journey.
For patients managing diabetes during pregnancy, Brandon Hospital offers support from a diabetes specialist who provides education and guidance to help pregnant patients understand and manage diabetes as part of their pregnancy care.
Brandon Hospital’s Level III NICU provides specialized care for babies born prematurely or with health complications. Neonatologists and maternal-fetal medicine specialists are on-site, and the NICU team works with families to support newborns who need additional care after labor and delivery.
HCA Florida Brandon Hospital is part of HCA Healthcare, a leading health care network that delivered more than 200,000 babies across its hospitals in 2024. Brandon Hospital’s relationship with March of Dimes reflects a broader commitment to improving maternal health through education, research and collaboration, including work focused on postpartum education, preeclampsia awareness and efforts to support healthier outcomes for moms and babies.
In addition to providing comprehensive care for pregnant patients and babies, Brandon Hospital’s Women and Infant Services team has been the number one hospital fundraising team for March of Dimes in Tampa Bay for three consecutive years. These efforts support March of Dimes’ work to improve the health of all moms and babies and further underscore the Brandon Hospital nursing team’s dedication to the mission of improving the health of moms and babies in the Tampa Bay community.
