When Ramiro Caballero, MD, a neonatologist, was called in to assist in the delivery of twins 18 years ago, little did he know that this delivery would be anything but routine when not two, but five babies were born.

"It was amazing," says Dr. Caballero. "After the first two babies came, we held our breaths as another one followed, and then another, and another."

Dr. Caballero reunited with quintuplets he helped deliver 18 years ago. "Seeing the quints all grown up just brought tears to my eyes," he says.

Teamwork
At the Birthing Center of South Texas at McAllen Medical Center, a skilled delivery team of physicians, neonatal intensive care nurses and respiratory therapists kicked into action to care for the new Chavez babies -- girls Vanessa and Valeria and boys Aaron, Baldemar and Cristobal. While three of the babies were immediately stable and breathing on their own, two had to be placed on respirators for a short duration.

"It was the first time a multiple delivery like that had happened in our unit," recalls Cindy Salinas, RN, who worked in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) that day. "Teamwork is what pulled us through. Everyone rallied to see that the babies had a smooth transition into the world."

Dr. Caballero checks in on the quintuplets he delivered 18 years ago.

Legacy of quality care
"The loyalty of our staff members, along with their wealth of knowledge and experience, is what sets our NICU apart from the rest of the community," says Darlene Funk, RN, Director of the NICU. "Our NICU has served the Rio Grande Valley for the last 28 years with many dedicated and skilled staff members still employed in our units."

"It really is our home away from home," says Mary Ceron, RN, who also worked in the NICU the day the quintuplets were born. "We care deeply about each and every baby who is born here."

Over the years, the NICU at the Birthing Center of South Texas has become the Rio Grande Valley's leader in providing neonatal medical care to premature and sick infants. The unit currently boasts:

• Staff who specialize in neonatal care and who are trained in basic life support and neonatal resuscitation
• Neonatal surgical procedures not available anywhere else in the Valley
• Level III intensive care for newborns
• Around-the-clock perinatologists, neonatologists, anesthesiologists and respiratory therapists

Dr. Caballero catches up with the quintuplets at the HealthGrades' press conference and celebration.

"Because we offer high-quality, high-volume intensive medical care, the chances of infant survival in our NICU increase dramatically," says Funk, citing a recent study published in The New England Journal of Medicine, which found that extremely premature babies were up to twice as likely to survive when treated in a busy, advanced-care NICU (like the one at McAllen Medical Center) instead of at a small community hospital's neonatal ward. "It just makes sense to have your baby in a hospital that can accommodate and care for you and your child, should complications arise."

Reunion
Today, the Chavez quintuplets are healthy, successful high school graduates, ready to begin their studies in college. Dr. Caballero had the opportunity to reunite with them for the first time at the HealthGrades' press conference announcing the center's nationally recognized services in maternity care.

"Seeing the quints all grown up just brought tears to my eyes," says Dr. Caballero. "Knowing we were able to care for them at such a critical moment in their lives is very rewarding. It's babies like these that keep us going."

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