Bill for Montana delivery of quads could exceed $200,000

Shipping a Calgary woman to Montana to have her quadruplets because of a shortage of neonatal staff inher hometowncould cost the Calgary Health Region more than $200,000.

Karen Jepp, 35, gave birth to four identical girls in Great Falls, Mont. on Aug. 12 after the Foothills Hospital's high-risk ward was over-capacity and no hospitals in western Canada could take the woman.

The mother and babies Autumn, Brooke, Calissa and Dahlia are doing well and are now in hospital in Calgary.

Toni MacDonald, director of child health for the health region, said the same delivery in Canada would have only cost $66,000.

"It is quite a bit more expensive, yes, to send mothers to the U.S. and again it is always our last resort," she said. "The decision is made based on a safety concern rather than a financial concern and that is always ourNo. 1consideration."

The Calgary Health Region is busy training at least 20 neonatal nurses for specialized units, so this fall fewer high-risk mothers-to-be will need to be flown out of Calgary, she said.But even with the new staff, the health region will be short 14 neonatal nursing positions.

MacDonald isn't promising that the problem will be solved.

"There might be a situation in the future where, in fact, a decision is made to ensure patient safety by sending a mother to another centre, be that in Canada or the U.S."

The Jepp babies, naturally conceived, were delivered by caesarean section at 31 weeks. Dahliawas the smallest, weighing two pounds six ounces at birth. Autumn was the largest, weighing two pounds 15 ounces.

Jepp and her husband, J.P., also have a two-year-old son.

The family's two-bedroom townhouse is already on the market and they're looking for something that is a better fit for a household of seven.