Aberdeen Maternity Hospital

Aberdeen Maternity Hospital (AMH) is a specialist maternity hospital in Aberdeen, Scotland. The buildings date from the late 1940s but have been updated and modernised since. It is part of the Aberdeen Joint Hospitals Scheme, envisaged by Professor Matthew Hay in the early 20th century. Between 4,000 and 5,000 babies are born at the hospital each year.^[1] The hospital is located in the Foresterhill area of Aberdeen and serves the region of Grampian as well as the islands of Shetland and Orkney.

Facilities

In-patient antenatal and postnatal care is delivered through the five wards plus the labour ward. The wards are named after areas of Aberdeen which once had maternity homes.

• Rubislaw ward
• Westburn ward
• Ashgrove ward
• Summerfield ward
• Hazelhead ward

The Scanning Department is located within the hospital, as is the Aberdeen Fertility Centre.

There is a thirty eight (10 intensive care) cot Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) situated in the hospital, which accepts referrals from all of Scotland.

The hospital has progressed to stage 2 accreditation of the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, gaining this status in July 2011.^[2]

Research

The Department] of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of Aberdeen is based at the hospital which conducts a variety of research with an emphasis on obstetric epidemiology (including maternal mortality and morbidity), infertility and the prevention of cancer in women. Aberdeen is also particularly known for its research into multiple pregnancy. The associated Dugald Baird Centre for Research on Women's Health was set up in 1995 and is primarily a research unit, with consultative and teaching responsibilities.^[3] Current work focuses on a number of themes in reproductive health research and methodological development in evaluation. The Centre is named after Sir Dugald Baird, 1899–1986, Regius Professor of Midwifery, University of Aberdeen 1937-1965.^[4]

Teaching

AMH is one of many teaching hospitals in NHS Grampian where medical students, midwifery students and other health-care professionals are trained. The postgraduate centre is located in the MacGillivray Academic Centre, named after Professor Ian MacGillivray, Professor of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at the University of Aberdeen.

Chapel

A chapel is available on the ground floor of the hospital. A notable feature is a stained glass window was designed by Jennifer Jayne Bayliss which depicts a baby supported by hands surrounded by birds, animals and plants.

Trivia

Famous people born at the Aberdeen Maternity Hospital include:

• Annie Lennox (b. 25 December 1954) Scottish singer-songwriter

Corin Thoday b. 15 June 1975 Scottish Entrepreneur

References

External links

• Aberdeen Maternity Hospital
• Dugald Baird Centre

Coordinates: 57°09′19″N 2°07′55″W / 57.1552°N 2.1320°W / 57.1552; -2.1320