NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi | North Central Bronx Expands Maternal Health Programs

NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi | North Central Bronx Expands Maternal Health Programs

Under Dr. Veronica Ades, the hospitals' OB/GYN Department is enhancing maternal mental health care and now offers shared mother/baby appointments to make it easier for mothers with newborns to access postpartum care

Since Jacobi Hospital began offering shared mother-baby appointments, attendance for the postpartum appointments (generally 6 to 8 weeks after childbirth) has increased from 54% to 78%

Jan 14, 2026

NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi | North Central Bronx today announced expanded maternal health programs under its new Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Veronica Ades, MD, MPH. Appointed in April 2025, Dr. Ades brings over 20 years of experience to the role and a focus on prioritizing obstetrical quality and safety, innovation, and patient and staff satisfaction. Her appointment marks a return to the hospital where she did her residency.

Under Dr. Ades, Jacobi and North Central Bronx Hospitals now offer shared appointments for mother and baby to make it easier for mothers with newborns to maintain their postpartum medical care. New mothers must ensure they continue care for both themselves and their baby post-partum, but many patients in the community encounter obstacles with taking time off work, transportation, and the cost of child care. Since Jacobi Hospital began offering shared mother-baby appointments, attendance for the postpartum appointments (generally 6 to 8 weeks after childbirth) has increased from 54% to 78%. In addition, the practice has encouraged patients to come in person for an appointment one week after childbirth instead of a telehealth appointment; these have an attendance of 89%.

Furthermore, the hospitals' OB/GYN department has had lectures on trauma-informed care to increase awareness and training for OB/GYN staff and will be hiring more reproductive psychologists within the department. Expanding mental health care that is specifically integrated into the OB/GYN unit will help to ensure accessibility for pregnant and postpartum women to access psychiatric medications that are safe during pregnancy, as well as tailoring their treatment of symptoms from pregnancy that could impact mental health, or symptoms that affect their mental health, postpartum. Since 2022, Jacobi Hospital's OB/GYN department has had an in-house psychologist, who focuses on providing care to women who are or were recently pregnant.

"The Bronx is my home," said Dr. Ades. "I did my residency at Jacobi from 2004-2008 and I knew I would be back. I loved being Vice Chair from 2020-2023, I loved the staff and the energy of the community. I love serving the patients of the Bronx and am proud to provide services in two languages since I am a native Spanish speaker."

"We accept everyone who walks in our doors, and we demand excellence of ourselves. Part of that is continuous improvement - always reexamining, optimizing, and innovating. It also means understanding where our patients are coming from and tailoring our service delivery to their needs."

"I think patients want to be respected, informed, and have high quality care in which they feel their needs are met. My expertise is in trauma-informed care, so I am hoping to disseminate that knowledge and bring trauma-informed care to the department, as I believe that many of our patients have significant traumas."

Dr. Ades is returning to Jacobi Hospital, where she completed her residency in 2008 after obtaining her Doctor of Medicine degree at the State University of New York Downstate in Brooklyn, NY, and she holds a Master's degree in Public Health from Harvard University's School of Public Health. Dr. Ades has been trained by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG); she worked with Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders on assignments in Aweil, South Sudan in 2012 and 2016 and in Irbid, Jordan in 2013; and she founded the EMPOWER Center at Gouverneur Health.

Patients who need obstetric and gynecological care should contact NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi | North Central Bronx at .

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MEDIA CONTACT: Catherine Diaz, NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi | North Central Bronx,

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About NYC Health + Hospitals/JacobiNYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi is a 457-bed teaching hospital affiliated with the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. The facility has earned numerous Center of Excellence designations, accreditation, and recognition for its renowned Level 1 Trauma Center, Burn Center, Surgical Intensive Care Unit, regional Stroke Center, Snakebite Treatment Center, Breast Health Center, Bariatric Surgery Center, and Cancer Service. The facility also offers the region's only multi-person hyperbaric chamber, allowing up to nine patients to dive together at one time. Jacobi Hospital's Ambulatory Care Pavilion is a stunning complement to its inpatient acute care, allowing staff to provide patients with high-quality service in a modern, state-of-the-art environment. For more information, visit https://www.nychealthandhospitals.org/jacobi.

About NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central BronxNYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx is a member facility of the NYC Health + Hospitals system, one of eleven acute care facilities within the City of New York. A 215-bed community hospital, North Central Bronx Hospital specializes in women's and children's services. It also provides Behavioral Health acute and ambulatory care. Its busy outpatient department has led the way in community-based care delivered in a compassionate and culturally-appropriate manner. Its Labor and Delivery service safely brings more than 1,000 babies into the world each year. North Central Bronx Hospital is committed to providing safe, high-quality medical care for any and all in need. For more information, visit https://www.nychealthandhospitals.org/north-central-bronx.

About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city's five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system's trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth-all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.