Perhaps most widely known for its reputation in the management of high risk pregnancies, Maternal Resources (MR) is more accurately a comprehensive obstetrics practice with offices in northern and central New Jersey and Manhattan. For over 20 years, MR has carefully, compassionately and successfully guided women and families through pregnancy, delivery and postpartum experiences.
Dr. Yaakov Abdelhak, MD, FACOG, (Fellow, American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology) and MR founder explained, “The office is designed to accommodate a patient throughout her prenatal care, including bloodwork, ultrasound, high-risk care if needed, and genetic counseling.” This care is conveniently provided within the confines of the office. Additionally all offices are open for unscheduled visits should the need arise.
MR features a low Cesarean section rate and specializes in VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean), twin and breech vaginal deliveries.
“Recently we had a patient seeking a VBAC after two previous cesarean deliveries. At term her baby was breech. In the hospital, we turned the baby’s head down … the mother labored and proceeded to have a [healthy vaginal] delivery. There is no safe length we won’t go to accommodate a patient’s delivery wishes,” affirmed Abdelhak.
He observed that there has been consolidation with hospitals and large multi-discipline groups incorporating small private practices. It has become the norm to have cross-coverage within these consolidated practices; and often patients have not ever met the delivering doctor prior to being in labor. “Maternal Resources continues to provide personal and individualized care with physicians each patient has come to know and trust, and who are available 24/7.”
Dr. Jonathan Ratzersdorfer, MD, FACOG, shared a very personal journey which led him to become a member of the MR team. “I was a second year medical student and my wife was pregnant with triplets. Everyone we spoke to advised us to use Maternal Resources. I was so happy with the treatment and approach to patient-centered care, and it opened my eyes to the field of obstetrics. The complexity of pregnancy with the competing interests of mother and fetus forces you to evaluate every situation in its totality, enabling you to help expecting parents understand their unique situation.”
Ratzersdorfer pointed out that for many years the philosophy at Maternal Resources has been to induce labor at 39 weeks as a way to reduce the risk of Cesarean delivery. “In 2018 the ARRIVE trial was published demonstrating the benefit of labor induction at 39 weeks rather than continuing pregnancy to wait for labor at a later time. This important study showed a lower Cesarean delivery rate and less preeclampsia (high blood pressure in pregnancy, sometimes with fluid retention and proteinuria,) while not compromising the health of newborns. We were not surprised when this study was published confirming what we had believed and practiced for many years.”
Dr. Amanda Resnikoff, MD, FACOG described MR as “comprehensive obstetrical care, a great mix of primary and surgical care that puts the patient at the center of her care. MR gives the time and space for all aspects of care: nutrition, mental health, etc., along with high quality prenatal care, all while safely avoiding unnecessary Cesareans.” She noted that while obstetrics can have some of the happiest moments in patients’ lives, it can also have some of the scariest or most heartbreaking. “That I have made a bad situation even slightly better by providing compassionate and sensitive high-quality care is important.”
Dr. Leora Joel, MD, FACOG, shared: “It is an incredible privilege to care for women and families through the exciting and anxiety-provoking, exhausting and invigorating, empowering and humbling process of pregnancy and childbirth. Each family we get to work with is unique, and that is what makes our job so extraordinary.”
She continued: “Recently, a patient with a history of two previous C-sections, who strongly desired a VBAC, came in after her water had been broken for several hours. As the sun was setting, we began her induction of labor. Her labor was progressing slowly, but the baby was not tolerating some of the stronger labor contractions. We stopped the induction agent and allowed her body to relax, thereby giving the baby time to recover. It became clear that the only way we could proceed with her labor would be to employ as many natural methods as possible to help progress the labor without induction agents. I called Raizy Green, a phenomenal labor coach who works at Maternal Resources. With her assistance, as well as that of a skilled hospital labor nurse, we were able to work with our highly motivated patient to achieve a vaginal delivery at 4 a.m.!”
Kristin Mallon, CNM, MS, RNC-OB, Midwife shared: “Witnessing and assisting in the miracle of birth is not just about the physical aspect; it’s a profound journey that touches on every facet of human experience. Birth is a powerful event, and to support and guide a woman through this process is both a privilege and an honor. It’s about empowering them, helping them realize their strength, and witnessing the incredible resilience of the human spirit.”
She continued: “MR is a unique and exceptional OB/GYN practice. What makes it truly stand out is the blend of expert medical care with a personalized and collaborative approach. We bring together perinatologists, OB/GYNs and midwives, ensuring a spectrum of expertise that caters to every aspect of a woman’s desires for birth. This synergy enhances the quality of care and enriches the birthing experience for women and their families. Our focus on safe, vaginal childbirth has led to significantly lower Cesarean rates. Over 85% of our patients with previous Cesarean deliveries have been able to experience a vaginal birth, a testament to our dedicated and skilled care.” Moreover, she said, “The reputation of MR extends beyond New Jersey, with families coming from more than five different states to seek our care, which speaks volumes about the trust and confidence patients place in us.”
Amanda Judge, DNP, CNM, Midwife, noted, “Our providers recognize the unique and complementary skills that each provider contributes to influence optimal outcomes for women, newborns and families.”
To Bryna Nissel RPA-C, certified Physician’s Assistant, “there’s nothing like having faith in your obstetrician, where you trust they are making the decisions based on yours and the baby’s safety.” She believes this to be true of all of MR’s providers, that they are all “…on the same page, and have all been trained by our MFM Dr. Abdelhak. No one practices independently based on what they feel is best. We pay great attention to detail, which is so important in this field. Getting ultrasounds on-site at every visit is a service that not many OBs offer, and allows us to pick up on situations out of the norm before they become clinically evident.”
Alex Spitz RPA-C, also a certified Physician’s Assistant, said one of the aspects she loves about MR is the idea of being able to care for a woman throughout the span of her life. “We can treat adolescent girls and follow them through their teenage years into their reproductive years, and continue to care for and help them navigate the perimenopausal, menopausal and post-menopausal states. We build a unique rapport with patients because we can be a part of their healthcare journey for a prolonged period of time.”
Maternal Resources is here to guide you for general and high-risk pregnancy, with several convenient locations serving central and northern New Jersey and New York. For more information or to schedule a visit for your upcoming blessed event, contact Maternal Resources at their website: www. https://maternalresources.org/ or call 201-487-8600.
Ellie Wolf is a staff writer with The Jewish Link. Many of her contributions have been nominated for AJPA awards over the past several years.
