Amber grateful for 'incredible journeys' before and after motherhood
“After learning I was pregnant, I called University of Iowa Health Care and scheduled my first prenatal care appointment with Rachel Maassen, MD. Unfortunately, a week later I was in and out of our local emergency room, unable to keep food or liquids down. They diagnosed me with hyperemesis gravidarum and told me to follow up with my OB-GYN.”
“At my visit, Dr. Maassen listened to what I had to say and assured me everything would be fine. She prescribed an anti-nausea medication and told me to come back in a week for another checkup. About a week later, I landed in the emergency department at University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics and was admitted for two days for fluids due to a metabolic disturbance caused by hyperemesis gravidarum. During my hospital stay, Dr. Maassen was with me every step of the way. She was my cheerleader, and I felt like she deeply cared about me. The nausea continued after I was discharged, but I was able to manage my condition outside of the hospital.”
“Throughout my pregnancy, Dr. Maassen was always there to answer my questions. She never hesitated to pick up the phone—even if it was 4:30 p.m. on a Friday.”
“At my six-week postpartum visit, a blood draw showed a problem with my thyroid levels. Dr. Maassen immediately called Lisa Morselli, MD, an endocrinologist. Together, they determined I had a condition called postpartum thyroiditis, which was easily treated with medication.”
“About eight months later, I learned I was pregnant with our second child. I know you must be thinking, 'She’s crazy for doing this again!' And you’re not wrong. This time around, I sent a MyChart message to Dr. Maassen right away. Since she knew my medical history, Dr. Maassen was able to prescribe the necessary anti-nausea medication I needed to prevent hyperemesis gravidarum from the very beginning. At my first obstetric appointment, we discussed my pregnancy and I asked about permanent contraception after delivery. In October, I delivered a healthy baby girl, and in December I had a bilateral salpingectomy.”
“I had two incredible journeys and I am so thankful for Dr. Maassen and for the amazing care I received.”
Amber Bowers, grateful patient
University of Iowa Health Care