This holiday season, BC Women’s Health Foundation is celebrating transformational moments created by the world-class care that patients across all stages of life have experienced at BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre. These stories embody the strength, resilience and hope across a diverse spectrum of experiences that were shaped at BC Women’s.
“The moment I can give a new mother the confidence and reassurance that she needs.”
– Nila Pavlova, Ultrasound Sonographer
For some parents, ultrasounds are an exciting part of the parenting journey: the first time they meet their baby, discover their gender or watch their growth and development. But for expectant parents of high-risk infants, ultrasounds are moments when they need a caring, calm and skilled professional to support them. These families come to the Ultrasound department of BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre (BCWH) for an advanced level of care.
“In our Ultrasound department, while we do routine ultrasounds, we specialize in high-risk obstetrics: Fetal Diagnostic Services (FDS), fetal echocardiograms, multiple pregnancies such as twins and triplets, neurological scans of the fetal brain and many types of special procedures that are only done here, like intrauterine blood transfusions,” explains Nila Pavlova, who has been with the Ultrasound department at BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre since she began her career in 1999. “Our sonographers also rotate through the Recurrent Pregnancy Loss Clinic at BCWH.”
“If a mother gets an ultrasound anywhere in our health region, interior health, northern health or the Yukon, that requires further investigation, they come here,” Nila continues. “Our expertise and detailed, thorough ultrasounds guide the team in their diagnoses and recommendations moving forward. And sometimes, we can rule things out, putting patients at ease.”
Besides their technical expertise, BC Women’s sonographers have to be caring, patient, empathetic and reassuring, because so many of their patients are going through an extremely challenging time. Often, it takes more time to assess results and patients have to be supported and reassured. It’s an additional set of skills that’s critical for the sonographers on this team.
New advances in ultrasound technology now enable sonographers like Nila to view things more clearly and in more in-depth detail, which provides a more accurate diagnosis and prognosis. These state-of-the-art machines are essential for ongoing monitoring of high-risk pregnancies so these infants receive the best possible care. And improvements and advances are occurring all the time, which means there’s a consistent need to upgrade equipment. “The machines we had here 25 years ago when I started were very different than the machines we use now,” Nila recalls. “Now we have such clear pictures which makes it easier to diagnose and the process is also so much faster.”
“The donations they receive for new technology have a huge impact on these babies coming into the world and their parents. Those dollars are so very important when it comes to upgrading our equipment. We couldn’t keep up without it.”
“I’m so very proud of my work here and I’m excited to share my knowledge with patients as well as with students who are training with us,” Nila continues. “Even when a situation is complicated and difficult for the patient and not always a good outcome, it’s so important to get the best information possible so the medical teams can make informed decisions. And the most advanced equipment is essential to that end.”
Join us in our mission to create a healthier future and more life-changing moments for women, newborns and families in BC. Please donate now to BC Women’s Health Foundation’s BC Women’s Moments campaign, supporting the purchase of essential ultrasound technology for every stage of women’s lives.
