Middle Tennessee Medical Center (MTMC) experienced a baby boom in 2011, delivering a record-breaking 2,613 babies during the calendar year. The hospital outpaced the prior year, 2010, by approximately 300 births.

“It’s been a busy year and we’re grateful to have been a part of helping bring so many little ones into the world,” said Janet McIntosh. “We’ve heard the number of births should be down this year. MTMC is definitely going against the national trend of fewer births, both this year and over the past few years.”

In summer 2011, the Centers for Disease and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics reported a four percent drop in births in the United States from 2007 to 2009 and the largest two-year decline in 30 years. The preliminary number of U.S. births for 2010 is 3 percent less than 2009. Many have blamed the economy and recession.

“We actually broke several birth records during 2011with a record breaking 248 babies born in a one-month period in July. We always see a peak in the summer and early fall but it has continued the rest of the year. We almost broke the one-month record again with 241 delivers in December,” added McIntosh.

MTMC has seen a steady annual increase in babies born with 2,179 in 2009, 2,314 in 2010 and now more than 2,600 in 2011.

In addition, MTMC cared for more babies in its neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) during 2011. The hospital, which has a 16-bed, Level IIIa unit, provides the only NICU in Rutherford County, serving the tiniest and sickest babies. 

MTMC is the leader in childbirth services for Rutherford and surrounding counties. The hospital offers comprehensive childbirth services, from helping mothers who are “at-risk” deliver their babies safely to providing a team of nurses and physicians to care for the hospital’s tiniest patients. At MTMC, a neonatologist, obstetrics physician and anesthesia coverage are in-house 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“We are really focused on keeping up with the community’s demand for quality childbirth services closer to home,” added McIntosh. “We have a state-of-the art facility with spacious childbirth suites and our nurses and physicians are focused on ensuring the best experience possible for parents and baby.”

Middle Tennessee Medical Center is a member of Saint Thomas Health, the market share leader in Middle Tennessee and a faith-based health ministry with more than 6,500 associates.