When Sarah Gonzales and her husband, Christopher, both 26 and living in San Marcos, decided to start a family two years ago, the process was anything but easy. When they finally found out they were expecting, they faced one challenge after another.
Sarah’s first pregnancy presented significant challenges. Early in her pregnancy, she was diagnosed with placenta previa, a condition in which the placenta lies low in the uterus and can block the cervix, making vaginal delivery risky due to the danger of heavy bleeding.
Fortunately, as her pregnancy progressed, the placenta previa resolved.
Even with the placenta no longer obstructing the cervix, Sarah’s labor did not unfold the way she hoped. After more than 28 hours of labor and limited progress, her care team recommended a Cesarean delivery for the safety of both mother and baby.
“At about 26 hours in, I resisted,” Sarah said. “But when they told me both the baby and I were in danger, I consented to the emergency surgery.”
Her son, Noah, was born healthy, weighing 9 pounds, 4 ounces and measured 20 inches long, but the arduous labor and unplanned C-section left Sarah emotionally shaken.
“With my son, a C-section was the worst possible situation,” she said. “I felt like I failed. My postpartum time was horrible. I had a hemorrhage. It was the most traumatic time.”
Two years later, Sarah became pregnant again. This time, she knew exactly what she had to do. Determined not to repeat the trauma of her first delivery, she sought a health care team skilled in high-risk pregnancies. She focused on achieving a safe, positive delivery experience.
She chose Dr. Zachary Hamilton, OB/GYN with CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic and CHRISTUS Santa Rosa in San Marcos, Texas. “He was calming and so supportive,” Sarah said. “He told me there are no dumb questions. He said, ‘It’s OK to ask. We’re going to get through this together.’ He made me feel more comfortable.”
Because of Sarah’s prior complications, Dr. Hamilton referred her to Dr. James Hill, a maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) specialist and chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at CHRISTUS Children’s. MFM specialists manage high-risk pregnancies, monitoring both mother and baby with advanced imaging and specialized expertise.
“Dr. Hill was fantastic,” Sarah said. “The way he was able to handle my nerves was incredible. Anytime a test showed something that could have been a problem, he’d say, ‘We’re going to keep an eye on it, but we don’t have to take action now.’ His calm, measured approach helped me manage my anxiety. It’s so easy to spiral when you’ve already had a traumatic birth.”
Everything was going well with Sarah’s second pregnancy. But then, at her 20-week anatomy scan, Dr. Hill discovered that baby Frankie had two congenital heart defects: a ventricular septal defect (VSD)—a small hole between the lower chambers—and an atrial septal defect (ASD)—a hole between the upper chambers of the heart.
To ensure the best care, Dr. Hill referred Sarah to Dr. Peter Woolman, a pediatric cardiologist at CHRISTUS Children’s. “Dr. Woolman explained that Frankie’s heart defects were small enough that they likely wouldn’t require surgery,” Sarah said. “He told us they often close on their own.”
As her pregnancy progressed, Sarah hoped to have a VBAC (vaginal birth after Cesarean). But at 37 weeks, Dr. Hill detected a slight arrhythmia, an irregular heartbeat, in the baby during her visit. “He said, ‘Since she’s full-term, let’s have a baby on Monday!’” Sarah recalled.
By the time Sarah arrived at the hospital on Monday, July 28, 2025, Frankie had turned head down, and labor began naturally. Two hours later, however, she flipped breech again—meaning she was positioned with her feet down instead of her head—making a C-section necessary.
“All the memories of Noah’s birth came rushing back,” Sarah said. “I was crying hysterically.”
That’s when Dr. Adriana Lopez, one of Dr. Hill’s associates, stepped in. “She calmed me down right away,” Sarah said. “I told her everything that happened with my first C-section and afterward with my hemorrhage, and she promised me she would make my experience that day completely different. She said, ‘I know you’re scared, but I’m not scared. I know exactly what I’m doing, and I’m positive you and your baby will both make it through this surgery.’”
Dr. Lopez kept her word. Frankie was born healthy—7 pounds, 9 ounces and 20 inches long. “She was perfect,” Sarah said. Just as Dr. Woolman predicted, the small holes in her heart closed on their own, and no surgery was needed.
Looking back, Sarah is filled with gratitude for Dr. Hamilton, Dr. Hill, Dr. Lopez and Dr. Woolman, as well as for all the compassionate nurses at CHRISTUS Children’s.
“I would recommend CHRISTUS Children’s in San Antonio a million times,” she said. “The doctors I saw were incredible. If we decide to give Noah and Frankie a brother or sister, I’m definitely hoping for the same team I had with Frankie.”
Learn more about the Maternal-Fetal Medicine team at CHRISTUS Children’s in San Antonio.
