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Managing a
Pregnancy Close to Home
Michael Sze, M.D.
Board certified in Obstetrics
and Gynecology
Manahawkin • 609-978-9841
Southern Ocean Medical Center
Kristine Zellman calls her youngest son, Aiden, “a very strong little boy” who loves watching his older
brother, Philip, and older sister, Emily. Her obstetrical team at Southern Ocean Medical Center met its
goal of keeping her high-risk pregnancy “unremarkable.”
Kristine Zellman of Little Egg
Harbor already had two
healthy children — 9-year-old
Philip and 4-year-old Emily — when
she became pregnant again at age 31.
She also had a complicated medical
history, and she knew the next nine
months would be tough.
“I was nervous,” she recalls, “and
while it didn’t hold me back, the fact
that my pregnancy was high risk was
always in the back of my mind.”
Fortunately, Kristine was partnered
with a dedicated obstetrical team
at Southern Ocean Medical Center.
Her obstetrician, Michael Sze, M.D.,
monitored her closely throughout
her pregnancy.
Top-Notch Care That’s Convenient, Too
“Kristine had several health
factors, any of which could have
caused complications through her
pregnancy,” he explains. “She has
what is known as factor V Leiden
deficiency, which is a blood-clotting
disorder, and pregnancy makes
this condition worse. She also has
polycystic kidney disease, so we
had to carefully monitor her kidney
function. And she has chronic
hypertension, which can increase
the risk for preeclampsia, a dangerous
condition that can occur
during pregnancy.”
Combined, these conditions
raised Kristine’s risk of developing
other illnesses while pregnant, but
the experts at Southern Ocean
were prepared. “Dr. Sze was very
informative, reassuring, and positive
about things,” says Kristine. “There
was a lot of testing and a lot of
office visits. He often answered my
questions before I even asked them.
I can’t say enough about all the
support and the attentive care
I received from Dr. Sze and the
entire office staff.”
The team was ready on April 18,
2012, when Kristine gave birth to
Aiden, a healthy baby boy.
“It takes the coordination of our
whole team of physicians to ensure
a good outcome,” says Dr. Sze.
“Kristine was a model patient and
followed up with every visit and
every instruction. Our goal was
to keep her high-risk pregnancy
unremarkable, and we were
successful in that.”
Kristine was grateful for this
care — and grateful it was available
close to home. “I was thankful that I
did not have to travel or change my
family routine to get safely through
my pregnancy,” says Kristine. “I was
always close to home, close to my
husband, Tom, and able to care for
my kids. And I loved having my baby
in the Southern Ocean Maternity
Pavilion. The staff was unbelievable
and I couldn’t be happier with the
entire experience. Everything was
perfect.” • — Joyce McFadden
Southern Ocean Medical Center’s board certified obstetrical team offers expert care for women facing high-risk
pregnancies. You can stay close to home and have a healthy and safe pregnancy, labor, and delivery.
Meridian HealthViews • November/December 2012
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