SARANAC LAKE – Adirondack Health is expanding its women’s health services with the addition of an obstetrician and a local, highly regarded certified nurse midwife who has assisted in the delivery of well over 1,500 babies.

Adirondack Health has delivered babies for over 100 years, and takes pride in providing personalized, one-on-one care for expecting parents. Now, childbirth and maternity services are growing with the addition of an outpatient clinic for pre-natal care staffed by OB/GYN Dr. Phuc T. “PT” Nguyen and Certified Nurse Midwife Mary Rooks.

Dr. Nguyen (pronounced “When”) received his Doctor of Medicine from St. George’s University School of Medicine, and he is an active candidate for American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology certification. He completed residencies in general surgery at Monmouth Medical Center in New Jersey and in OB/GYN at Albany Medical Center and the University of Medicine and Dentistry at Rutgers. Dr. Nguyen’s practice will eventually expand to serve most medical or surgical treatments related to women’s health.

Rooks previously worked at Tri-Lakes OB/GYN for more than 12 years, and received her nurse midwife degree from the Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing. She is a member of the Associate Medical Staff at Adirondack Health and certified by the American College of Nurse Midwives.

Enhancing maternity and childbirth services at Adirondack Health is a first step toward establishing a women’s healthcare program that extends beyond obstetrics and gynecological services. Adirondack Health’s vision is to offer a complete spectrum of care for women’s health needs at every stage of life in a comfortable and confidential setting. The goal is to promote, maintain and restore the physical and emotional well-being of women from routine wellness to specialized care.

“Women experience most forms of depression, anxiety and eating disorders twice as often as men, and heart disease remains the number one cause of death in women,” said Linda McClarigan, chief nursing officer. “The Adirondack Women’s Center of Health will coordinate the specialized health and medical services we offer, with those offered by our partners in the community, to develop an individualized care plan for the whole person – mind, body and spirit.”

The Women’s Health Navigator is a key component for coordinating services at the center. The navigator is a registered nurse dedicated to guiding women and their families through healthcare experiences at every stage of life. At Adirondack Health, Jessica Duhaime, RN, RNC-OB, IBCLC, is the women’s health navigator – the GPS for patients.

Expecting mothers in need of pre-natal care and with a scheduled delivery date after July 31 can contact Adirondack Health at 518-897-2361 or 518-897-2778 to schedule an appointment today. New patients will be accepted starting June 13 with appointments available during the week, including early evening hours.

To learn more, visit www.AdirondackHealth.org and click on Childbirth and Maternity under Services.