From Fragile Beginnings to Strong Tomorrows: One Family’s NICU Story

In her sixth month of pregnancy, Angelica Lopez’s life changed in an instant. A mother of three with previously smooth pregnancies, Angelica was taken aback by a diagnosis that turned her world upside down: placenta previa. This high-risk condition, where the placenta dangerously covers the cervix, threatened to unravel the life she knew.

With concerning symptoms already emerging, including unexpected bleeding, Angelica’s OB-GYN advised her to seek specialized care at Stanford Medicine Children's Health, where healthcare teams with expertise in high-risk pregnancies could provide the necessary support.

“It was scary,” Angelica recalls. “You hear ‘Stanford Medicine’ and think ‘critical care.’ Why am I being sent so far? What’s going to happen to me? To my baby?”

What followed was an emotionally charged experience for Angelica and her husband, marked with fear and uncertainty. Their journey of strength and resilience was just beginning.

A diagnosis that required urgent expertise

Scarlett Karakash, MD, FACOG, an OB-GYN specializing in maternal-fetal medicine at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health and the medical director of the Perinatal Diagnostic Center at Salinas Valley Health, evaluated Angelica.

“Angelica had three prior cesarean deliveries, and when we see that history, we immediately worry about the potential complications of placenta accreta spectrum, including life-threatening hemorrhage and more complex surgeries,” said Dr. Karakash. “Heightened awareness and specialized care are essential in managing these risks effectively. That’s why sending Angelica to our dedicated Stanford Children’s Placental Disorders Program was the safest place for her and the baby.”

Transferred for safety, cared for with compassion

By June, Angelica was admitted to Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in Palo Alto, where she remained under constant observation. “The doctors were amazing,” Angelica says. “Every morning, four, five, sometimes six care team members would come in to see how I was doing. They explained everything and reassured my husband and me that we weren’t alone.”

On July 6, less than a month after being admitted, Angelica suffered a premature rupture - within minutes, her care team prepared her for an emergency cesarean section.

Weighing in at four pounds, baby Valeria was born at 32 weeks. A full-term pregnancy typically lasts between 39 and 40 weeks. This stage is considered optimal for the baby's health, as it allows for complete development.

“It felt like a dream. I remember seeing my husband walk out of the room with her. That’s all I remember. When I finally saw her hours later, she was so tiny, with a tube in her mouth.”

The care team at Packard Children’s reassured Angelica that she was not to blame for her daughter's early arrival. They emphasized that Valeria was exactly where she needed to be, receiving the best possible care.

Coming home, but not alone

Valeria spent 12 days at Packard Children’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) before she was stable enough to be transferred and continue her recovery at Salinas Valley Health’s Norman P. Andresen, MD, Level III NICU, an affiliated extension of Stanford Medicine Children’s Health NICU.

“One moment we were in Palo Alto wondering when we’d go home, and suddenly we were back in Salinas, near our family, kids, and support system,” Angelica says.

The parents felt immense relief knowing that their daughter was getting the best care. Robert Castro, MD, a neonatologist at Stanford Children’s, provides neonatal care at both Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital and Salinas Valley Health NICUs. He played a crucial role in this support process. “That made us feel like we were still in the best of hands,” Angelica says. “And we were. Dr. Castro and Dr. [Carl F.] Yaeger kept us updated every step of the way. The nurses, too, day and night, they were amazing.”

High-tech, high-touch care

At the Salinas Valley Health NICU, Valeria was closely monitored and received advanced respiratory support as needed. The NICU uses high-speed audio/video connections to consult with pediatric specialists from Stanford Children’s, ensuring seamless, continuous care.

Angelica also found comfort in the NicView camera system installed at Valeria’s NICU bed. The camera provides parents with secure, real-time, 24/7 video access to their baby to help ease the stress of separation and offers an increased sense of involvement in their baby's care. “We’d wake up at 1 or 2 a.m. just to peek at her on the app,” she says. “It gave us peace of mind.”

A safe arrival, a stronger tomorrow

Valeria is thriving, eating from a bottle and gaining weight. Though still small, she’s breathing on her own and growing stronger by the day. And her parents, after a nine-year gap since their last child, are learning alongside her.

“You hear stories about the NICU, but you never think it will be you. Now I know miracles happen,” says Angelica. “NICU babies are strong, and the people who care for them are just as amazing.”

Dr. Karakash agrees. “We were able to identify the risk early and get Angelica to the right place. That’s the beauty of this partnership between Salinas Valley Health and Stanford Medicine Children’s Health. By working together, we are able to save lives.”

Celebrating the resilience of our tiniest patients

Each year, Salinas Valley Health hosts a heartwarming NICU reunion to celebrate its tiniest graduates. Hundreds of families, patients, and care team members gather for a day of fun, photos, and gratitude.

“It’s wonderful to celebrate these baby miracles,” says Dr. Castro. “We’re part of their journey, and it’s a joy to see them grow up happy and healthy.”

This year’s NICU reunion took place on September 6, 2025.

Media Contact: Karina Rusk
831-759-1843