Amanda Hess, D.O., an expectant mother and OB-GYN at HCA Healthcare’s Frankfort Regional Medical Center, worked until the “very last second” of her pregnancy last week. The Kentucky physician delivered another woman’s baby hours before giving birth to her own.
Dr. Hess, who had checked into the hospital, changed into her gown and settled into her room, heard a woman in labor down the hall. After realizing the on-call physician was still en route and the patient was fully dilated, she stepped in and did what she does every day – delivered a baby.
“I put on some boots over my flip flops and found another gown to cover myself up and put my stuff to deliver on and delivered a baby,” Dr. Hess told WLex-18 News.
Leah Halliday Johnson, who had seen Dr. Hess on previous doctor visits, gave birth to a healthy baby girl. The physician on-call arrived just after the delivery, and completed the birthing process with Mrs. Johnson.
She told NBC News: “She's definitely earned her time off. I appreciate what she did for my family, and it speaks a lot to who she is as a woman and a mother as well as a doctor. It makes you feel better, bringing a baby girl into the world, knowing there are women like her willing to step up like that."
Dr. Hess later gave birth to her own little girl. Both moms and babies are doing well.
“We are very grateful and proud of Dr. Hess for her compassion and willingness to put her patients’ needs above her own,” said Chip Peal, Chief Executive Officer. “We have a great team of healthcare providers that specialize in delivering babies every day, and this is another example of what a special team we have at Frankfort Regional Medical Center. It also shows you the dedication that our physicians have to our patients.”
Watch Dr. Hess on the TODAY show.
Dr. Amanda Hess is an obstetrics & gynecology doctor who practices in Frankfort, Ky. She is affiliated with Frankfort Regional Medical Center, an affiliate of HCA Healthcare.