Intermountain Health Maternal Fetal Medicine Helps Young Mother During Two High-Risk Pregnancies

During Mother’s Day, Annamiek Frost reflects on her journey to motherhood with immense gratitude for the exceptional care she received from Intermountain Health Maternal Fetal Medicine caregivers.  Frost, now a mother of two healthy boys, Norris, 2, and Royle, 8 months, shares her appreciation for the dedicated team that supported her through two high-risk pregnancies.

Frost was uncertain if she would ever be able to have her own children due to several serious health conditions. Diagnosed with lupus and liver disease as a young adult, she required continuous monitoring and specialized care throughout her pregnancies for her health and the health of her babies.

When she became pregnant with her first child, Frost was concerned about what that meant for her and her child. Chimene Dahl, MD, OB-GYN with Bilings OB-GYN Associates, recognized the complexities of Frost’s condition and enlisted the expertise of Michael Gordon, MD, a maternal fetal medicine specialist at Intermountain Health St. Vincent Regional Hospital, to ensure Frost received the best possible care.

“When I first saw Annamiek, I shared with her how unique it was for her to be pregnant with some of her preexisting conditions, but I was confident that we could create a care plan for the health and safety of her and her baby,” said Dr. Gordon.

“Dr. Gordon went above and beyond,” Frost said. “He coordinated with my specialists in Washington and Billings, adjusting my medications, ensuring everyone was on the same page, and making sure we were receiving the care that we needed.”

Throughout the pregnancy, Frost saw Dr. Dahl and Dr. Gordon frequently. Despite the high-risk nature of her condition, the team carefully managed her care. Although she hoped to deliver naturally, complications arose during labor requiring Norris to be delivered via cesarian section. Frost felt reassured by the presence of her doctors.  “They said if the cesarian section was needed, they wanted to be called. Dr. Dahl and Dr. Gordon both came in on a Sunday night to make sure Norris and I were going to be OK,” she said.

After the healthy birth of Norris in 2023, Frost and her care team had an established plan of care, to monitor her health during her second pregnancy. “The second time, we knew what to expect, and everything went smoothly,” Frost said. Royle was born healthy by a scheduled cesarean section at 37 weeks last year.

Frost’s gratitude extends beyond the medical care she received. “Anytime I struggled, my husband and family were there for me, and my care team were always available, even squeezing me in for ultrasounds when I felt uneasy.”

“Annamiek was the perfect patient,” shared Dr. Gordon. “Having a high-risk pregnancy can be stressful and she did a great job managing her stress and trusting her care team. In a complicated pregnancy, this can help increase the likelihood of a healthy outcome.”

Celebrating Mother’s Day this year with her two healthy boys holds special meaning for Frost. “I did not know if I was ever going to have kids,” she said. “The fact that I have two healthy babies is just more than I can put into words. I’m just grateful that I have them here and I’m able to celebrate Mother’s Day.”

About Intermountain Health

Headquartered in Utah with locations in six states and additional operations across the western U.S., Intermountain Health is a not-for-profit system of 34 hospitals, approximately 400 clinics, medical groups with some 4,600 employed physicians and advanced care providers, a health plans division called Select Health with more than one million members, and other health services. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is committed to improving community health and is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes at sustainable costs. For up-to-date information and announcements, please see the Intermountain Health newsroom at https://intermountainhealthcare.org/news.