THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, September 14, 1996 TAG: 9609140263
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: 57 lines
Last winter, snow, cold and howling winds kept most Virginians close to home. Nine months later, hospital officials say they are experiencing a baby boomlet that was born during the harsh weather.
Richmond's Columbia Henrico Doctors' Hospital had more deliveries in August than in any month over the last two years, said hospital spokesman John Mitchell.
Mitchell said the hospital normally delivers between 225 and 250 babies a month. In August, it delivered 294.
``There is some speculation that it's related,'' to the winter storms, Mitchell said. ``We really don't expect to get the full effect of it until next month.''
``About seven years ago we had three snowstorms in 10 days and we had the same kind of pattern,'' he said.
Dr. Philip Minor, a Richmond gynecologist, said spikes in births are normal after storms.
``Anything which takes away other forms of entertainment makes us turn towards each other,'' he said. ``I remember several storms that did seem to make my office very full a few months later. My patients would say, `Oh shucks, I just took a chance.' ''
Fairfax Hospital, which has the third-largest number of births in the country, is gearing up for the baby rush.
Eileen Andreoli, patient care director of labor delivery and recovery, said she was expecting a 20 percent increase in births for the end of September and October.
``We're taking it seriously,'' she said. ``We're going to try to think ahead.''
The hospital is hiring additional staff and has opened up extra space in preparation for the storm babies.
Dr. Thomas J. Tomzak said he has noticed a 20 percent to 25 percent increase in pregnancies at his Fredericksburg obstetrical practice, which he attributes to the winter storms.
``I think that anytime you see anything that confines people, you see an increase,'' he said. ``The confinement is important and in times of natural stress people are driven closer together.''
Dr. James W. Banks III, a Roanoke obstetrician, said the link between being stuck at home and increased pregnancies was first noted decades ago after a blackout left much of New York paralyzed.
At his practice, pregnancies due in October and November are about double the normal rate, he said.
``People really were holed up in their house with nothing else to do,'' he said.
Banks said he did not think there would be a similar spike nine months after Hurricane Fran brought torrential rains and flooding to the state.
``It's not as common with hurricanes and floods because people are trying to save themselves,'' he said. by CNB