Education

UK to update, add additional hospital rooms to Birthing Center

UK HealthCare is planning a multiphase renovation of its Birthing Center, shown in a rendering here. The renovations will add four additional labor and delivery rooms and additional antepartum rooms.
UK HealthCare is planning a multiphase renovation of its Birthing Center, shown in a rendering here. The renovations will add four additional labor and delivery rooms and additional antepartum rooms.

UK HealthCare is planning renovations to its Birthing Center, adding additional labor and delivery rooms and expanding its rooms for monitoring high-risk pregnancies, the hospital announced.

Renovations will begin in March, after the Mother Baby Unit moves into Chandler Hospital’s Pavilion A. The renovated Birthing Center will include four new labor and delivery rooms, 10 antepartum rooms with advanced technology for monitoring high-risk pregnancies, an expanded obstetrics emergency unit and an expanded waiting area.

“The renovation of our Birthing Center isn’t just about changes to a physical space, it’s about creating a place where families feel comfortable, supported and truly cared for,” said Dr. Emily DeFranco, chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the UK College of Medicine. “With more space and thoughtfully designed rooms, we’re creating an environment that meets patients’ needs at every stage of their birthing journey.”

There will be 16 labor and delivery rooms, 10 antepartum rooms and six beds in the emergency unit once construction is complete. Renovations are expected to be completed in 2029, the hospital said.

“We have always provided expert, compassionate care, and we want to assure patients that care will continue uninterrupted,” DeFranco said.

While construction is ongoing, patients will still enter the Labor and Delivery unit through the lobby of Golisano Children’s at UK (formerly Kentucky Children’s Hospital). Patients can follow updates to the renovation progress on the Birthing Center’s website.

Monica Kast
Lexington Herald-Leader
Monica Kast covers higher education for the Herald-Leader and Kentucky.com. Previously, she covered higher education in Tennessee for the Knoxville News Sentinel. She is originally from Louisville, Kentucky, and is a graduate of Western Kentucky University. Support my work with a digital subscription
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