9 CRNAs Pregnant At The Same Time at Cone Health

9 CRNAs Pregnant At The Same Time at Cone Health

Cone Health, located in Greensboro, North Carolina, has celebrated a special event — nine certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNA) were pregnant simultaneously! This remarkable group of women were all friends before their pregnancies, and then they embarked on their motherhood journeys together. With babies due from May to December 2022, there will be ten new additions to the Cone Health family! 

Holly Quinn had her first child in May. Olivia Helseth in June and Alyssia Smith had her twins in July. Diana Huggins had her baby at the end of July, followed by Emilee Barr's little one in August. Brooke Greenwood gave birth in September, and Alisha Beckner in November. Finally, Ali Cosgrove and Courtney Woodhall both had their bundles of joy within days of each other in December. 

The group was delighted by all the funny comments they've received about what could have caused this simultaneous pregnancy phenomenon - with other staff jokingly asking, "what's in the water? What is in the anesthesia water? I don't want to drink that?" 

When the women were able to take breaks at the hospital, it sparked up interesting conversations about other people's children and their experiences throughout their children's lives.  

Courtney Woodall told Fox News, "Our breakroom was full of pregnancy talk the entire year. So, it was sort of sad for the non-pregnant people, especially the men in our department, having to listen to all our pregnancy talk." 

In addition to all the excitement surrounding this special event, there have also been logistical concerns, as scheduling parental leave for nine people can be difficult. One of the women's husbands works as a CRNA at Cone Health as well, making it even more challenging for them to plan out their maternity leaves. Ali Cosgrove mentioned to Fox News, "Our manager is pulling our hair out and has been for a year; I think she's hoping that no one drinks the water for a while."  

CRNAs are often exposed to harmful substances in the operating room that can harm a developing baby. They are often exposed to radiation from X-rays, harmful inhalation toxins from bone cement, and certain medications. Emilee commented, "It's really hush-hush just because a lot of what we do in the operating room with anesthesia involves radiation and just things that are toxic if you're pregnant," 

Being in healthcare, surrounded by toxic substances, the women had to tell their coworkers about their pregnancies before their families. "Our work family, they're the first people to know if we are pregnant or not, even before our personal friends and family," Emilee stated in the interview with Fox News. 

Cone Health in Greensboro has not yet made an official statement about the 9 women.   

However, the women have updated some cute baby photos. Courtney Woodhall posted that she loves her new mom-friends and coworkers. 

Emilee updated a new baby photo on her Facebook. "For me, being a first-time mom, just trying to understand the pre-pregnancy period, the pregnancy period, the delivery period, the post-partum. I don't know…what I would do without the support of these moms that have helped me at every stage of that," Emilee Barr said to Fox News.  

Alisha Beckner explained to Fox News in the interview, "I tell Zach all the time that I can never repay him enough for my kids." When the women were talking about how amazing it is to see their husbands become fathers and see them love their children. She updated her Facebook photo with her husband Zach and her first child with a beautiful pregnancy announcement.  

The nine women expect to be lifelong friends and that they will be busy with all the birthday parties between the ten babies. Going through the pregnancy experience, some of them for the first time have brought them close together.  

Nurse.org reached out to Cone Health for a statement but has not received a reply at time of publication.