For the first time in the history of King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, the maternity ward is now equipped with two modern operating rooms, Bermuda Hospitals Board has announced.

Dale Wilmot, BHB’s chief of obstetrics, hailed the completion of the two ORs as a great step forward in improving the safety and comfort of mothers, along with their newborn children.

One room will function solely as a state-of-the-art OR for both planned and emergency Caesarean sections, with the second room retained for routine deliveries but fully equipped as a backup OR.

Both rooms are next to the birthing rooms, making it easier for mothers in need of emergency interventions.

Previously, when mothers required emergency C-sections, they had to be transported to a level above the delivery rooms.

The new development also means that the Special Care Baby Unit within the maternity unit will be immediately on hand for newborns.

Having the OR close to the nursery allows mothers to bond with their babies for longer than was possible when the OR was on a different level.

Dr Wilmot said such bonding had been shown to strengthen babies’ systems and enhance their IQ development.

The rooms, designed in 2008, involved expertise from BHB’s engineering, procurement and clinical teams.

When the hospital’s new Acute Care Wing opened in September, all the operating rooms in the General Wing were closed, with the exception of one OR that was left solely for maternity cases, including emergencies.

BHB decided to add a second OR capable of administering C-sections as a backup facility. As well as accommodating emergency cases, the new maternity ORs enable better scheduling of planned C-sections.

The contract for the facilities went to Somers Construction, which began building the facilities last year.

Other Bermuda firms involved as subcontractors included BESCO, Bermuda Air Conditioning and Universal Electric Ltd — now Bermuda Universal Electric.