How The Women’s Hospital and Holtz Children’s Saved the Lives of Lauren and Phoenix Stoute

By: Miranda Torres

After relocating from New York to Miami, Lauren Stoute, 41, and her husband were excited to expand their family. However, despite Stoute’s healthy lifestyle and active involvement in maternal morbidity advocacy, they soon discovered that the path to welcoming another child would be challenging.

Stoute decided to keep her prenatal care team in New York, traveling monthly for check-ups. After a birthday trip to Walt Disney World with her son and husband, a then six-months-pregnant Stoute was alarmed by how swollen she was. After an alarmingly high blood pressure reading taken at home, Stoute consulted with her OB-GYN and subsequently visited the emergency room at Jackson Memorial Hospital.

At Jackson Memorial, it was discovered that she was on the cusp of preeclampsia, an abnormally high blood pressure condition unique to pregnancy that poses a threat to both mom and baby. Two days later, Stoute had an appointment with her OB-GYN in New York, who officially diagnosed her. She was immediately admitted to a local hospital.

One risk associated with preeclampsia is premature labor, which meant Stoute would have to deliver in New York. Luckily, her maternal-fetal medicine specialist reached out to Michael Paidas, MD, Jackson’s chief of service for obstetrics and gynecology, to advocate for her transfer to Miami.

Thankfully, Stoute’s baby was healthy and her preeclampsia was stable enough to travel, so she and her husband flew home that same night and went straight to The Women’s Hospital at Jackson Memorial, where Dr. Paidas and his team were expecting her.

“I knew Lauren’s case was very severe and she needed to be here at Jackson for our high-risk care and Level IV NICU,” Dr. Paidas said. “This kind of situation is about one in 10,000, and I had a feeling things would escalate rather quickly.

Dr. Paidas also diagnosed Stoute with HELLP syndrome, a rare liver and blood clotting disorder that occurs after 20 weeks gestation.

“Dr. Paidas and his team were not only remarkably efficient and transparent about our treatment plan, but were also respectful of my birthing preferences,” Stoute said. “In an emergency, many providers might disregard a patient’s wishes, but they made me feel involved in my delivery.”

Stoute’s Jackson maternal-fetal medicine team decided they would try and get her to 28 weeks gestation, and then have her deliver via C-section.

Unfortunately, her blood pressure increased, and her kidneys and liver started shutting down as a result of her failing placenta. The team recognized that it was time to deliver the baby, despite being shy of 28 weeks.

On November 24, 2023, Phoenix Stoute was born, weighing 1 pound, 11 ounces. While Phoenix was taken to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), Stoute was put on iron infusions and magnesium drips in order to get her blood and kidney levels back to normal.

“When you have HELLP syndrome, the recovery journey can be a little rocky, but Lauren has a great spirit and is very strong emotionally and mentally, so we were able to guide her through it,” Dr. Paidas said.

Meanwhile, Phoenix was intubated the night she was born and put on an oscillating ventilator the following week. Pankaj Agrawal, MD, chief of the Division of Neonatology at Jackson Health System, and his team were initially worried about Phoenix’s health because her lungs, gastrointestinal system, and heart weren’t fully developed, and she wasn’t responding well to treatments.

However, by the time Phoenix was discharged 16 weeks later, she was breastfeeding and breathing on her own, a testament to her perseverance and Stoute’s dedication to her baby.

“Lauren has been extremely supportive, and providing breast milk really contributed to Phoenix’s success,” Dr. Agrawal said. “She had great questions and ideas, and continues to work with us closely as a great advocate and partner in the Family Advisory Council.”

Now, Phoenix and Stoute are adjusting to their new normal with their family.

“I’m so lucky to have experienced Holtz Children’s NICU’s loving care,” Stoute said. “The dedication and emotional intelligence of the staff transcends capability; these are extraordinary individuals who navigate the demanding environment of the NICU with remarkable empathy. In many ways, they were my lifeline and my family.”

Stoute continues her work in women’s health advocacy. She advises all pregnant women to invest in an at-home blood pressure monitor to regularly check their levels. “Knowing what your normal is, and listening to the cues of your magical body are some of the best things you could do for you and your baby’s health,” says Stoute. “Trust in your intuition.”