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When Care Can’t Wait: 10 Years of the Obstetrics Emergency Department

August 31, 2026 | Reading Time: 5 minutes
Two OBED team members walk and talk in a hospital hallway beneath an “OB Emergency” sign.

In August 2016, women in North Alabama gained something they previously had to travel to Nashville to find: a dedicated emergency department for obstetric care.

Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children (HHW&C) opened Alabama’s first Obstetric Emergency Department (OBED), bringing specialized, around-the-clock care close to home.

Ten years later, patients like Anna and Allison are sharing what having that resource has meant to their families.

Specialized Care, Around the Clock

The OBED focuses on women experiencing obstetric emergencies, complications and concerns. Nurses, nurse practitioners and board-certified obstetricians are available 24/7, so patients can receive specialized evaluation at any hour. Patients also have access to obstetrical ultrasound.

During pregnancy, patients may come to the OBED with concerns including severe abdominal pain or bleeding, contractions, ruptured membranes, decreased fetal movement, severe headaches, high blood pressure and other symptoms that may require immediate evaluation.

The team Anna credits with saving two lives

Seven minutes after Anna arrived at the OBED, she says, her daughter, Caroline, was delivered by emergency cesarean section.

Anna was only 30 weeks pregnant. Her baby’s heart rate had dropped dangerously low, and both mother and daughter would need urgent care.

“They saved my life and my daughter’s life,” Anna said. “I am eternally grateful.”

Two OBED nurses in navy scrubs smile and hold their stethoscopes in a hospital patient room.

The first warning had come from an unexpected place: an eye appointment earlier that week that alerted Anna to high blood pressure. She sought medical care, and an ultrasound at her obstetrician’s office was reassuring.

But later that week, she began cramping. The pain became excruciating, and she started vomiting.

Anna headed to the OBED, relieved she knew where to go.

Once she arrived, a nurse checked Caroline’s heartbeat. Within seconds, doctors and nurses filled the room. Anna was rushed down the hall for surgery.

Her first pregnancy, with her son, had been uncomplicated. This emergency was a shock to Anna and her husband, who waited anxiously while the team cared for her.

Yet Anna remembers feeling an unexpected sense of peace. Normally wary of surgery, she felt reassured by the anesthesiologist’s calm manner as the mask was placed over her face. She credits her faith and the people caring for her with helping her through those moments.

“I felt so much peace,” she said. “I knew I was in great hands.”

After delivery, Caroline needed CPR. Her heartbeat returned after seven minutes of resuscitation, and she was taken to HHW&C’s Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Anna needed urgent treatment, too. She experienced severe blood loss that led to temporary kidney failure, required several blood transfusions and spent five days recovering in the hospital’s Antepartum Unit.

Caroline’s NICU stay lasted 77 days.

Throughout that time, Anna came to know the nurses and doctors caring for her family. She remembers their reassurance, their kindness and the way they helped her feel safe through her own recovery and the long wait to bring Caroline home.

“Everyone treated us like family,” Anna said. “I can’t thank them enough.”

Today, Caroline is thriving and will turn 5 in December. Talking about the people who cared for them still brings Anna close to tears.

Anna’s gratitude extends to Diane, Grant Tate, Dr. Spallin, Dr. Rushing, Dr. Steinkampf, Anna Price, Aliya Blackwood, Cindi Parsons, Autumn Rivera, Dr. Clark and Dr. Diaz, along with the many other nurses, physicians and team members who cared for her and Caroline.

She wants other women to know that the OBED is available when they need help, even when they are unsure what is happening. For Anna, knowing where to go meant reaching a team that recognized the emergency and acted within seconds.

Anna Babin holds her daughter, Carolyn, while standing beneath the OB Emergency entrance sign at Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children.

She wants other women to know that the OBED is available when they need help, even when they are unsure what is happening. For Anna, knowing where to go meant reaching a team that recognized the emergency and acted within seconds.

A Place to Turn Beyond Pregnancy

Allison, a mom of two, came to the OBED under different circumstances.

When a routine hysterectomy was followed by a serious infection, a 103-degree fever and a painful abscess, Allison wasn’t sure where to turn. She had heard of the OBED but assumed it was only for pregnant women.

“From the moment I walked in, everyone was so kind,” Allison said. “The triage was quick. The nurses took incredible care of me. Even when I needed a CT scan at the main hospital, they stayed with me every step of the way.”

One of those nurses was Antonaya “Naya” Banner. Her compassion and reassurance helped Allison feel safe during a scary and uncertain time.

Now, Allison wants other women to know the OBED is there for them, too.

“Don’t ever be afraid to seek it out, even when you’re scared,” she said. “What a resource to have a place dedicated to women’s health.”

A Growing Need in North Alabama

The OBED cared for 6,997 patients in its first year. In fiscal 2026, that number reached a record 13,136, nearly doubling over the decade.

Nurse Antonaya “Naya” Banner and former OBED patient Allison smile together outside the main lobby of Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children, standing beneath the hospital’s entrance sign.

The growth wasn’t limited to one particularly busy month. Every month of the past fiscal year set a new OBED patient-volume record for that calendar month. January 2026 was the busiest month in the department’s history, with 1,187 patients.

As North Alabama grows, helping women understand when and where to seek care remains an important part of the OBED’s work.

When Should You Go to the OBED?

During pregnancy, urgent warning signs and symptoms of preterm labor should be evaluated promptly. Reasons to seek care include:

  • Vaginal bleeding beyond light spotting
  • Severe or persistent abdominal pain
  • A severe headache, especially with vision changes
  • High blood pressure
  • Your baby moving less than usual or stopping
  • Regular contractions or other signs of labor before 37 weeks
  • Fluid leaking that may mean your water has broken

For concerns that do not appear to be an emergency, contact your OB-GYN for guidance. For a life-threatening emergency, call 911.

For Anna and Allison, knowing about the OBED means knowing there is a place to turn when something is wrong. Both hope that sharing their experiences will help another woman seek the care she needs.

The OBED is open 24/7 on the second floor of Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children, 245 Governors Drive.