In the cramped cabin of a Chicago medical helicopter, six pregnant flight nurses prove daily that delivering critical care and expecting babies aren’t mutually exclusive.
That’s because the nurses at University of Chicago Medicine Aeromedical Network all discovered their pregnancies within weeks of each other, creating an unexpected support system among colleagues who already shared the intense bonds of emergency medical aviation.
“When I found out Alex was pregnant, that same day I told her I was pregnant and we both started crying and a couple weeks later we found out Kendra and Michelle were pregnant,” said Sarah Imbrunone, a flight nurse with the aeromedical network.
The coincidental timing has transformed these medical professionals into a tight-knit group navigating both the physical demands of helicopter emergency response and the challenges of pregnancy. Some are experiencing motherhood for the first time while others bring previous experience to guide the group.
“A couple of us were new moms for the first time and a few veterans flying through pregnancy and motherhood and so a lot of words of encouragement and leaning on each other when we needed the support,” flight nurse Michelle Lambright said.
The physical demands of medevac work can intensify during pregnancy. Flight nurse Kendra Johns faced particular challenges that required her colleagues to step up.
“I had a really rough time.. I had to stop flying at 29 weeks, but my partners picked up the slack. Thank God for them,” Johns told GMA.
Support extends beyond the six expectant mothers to include the entire aeromedical team. “The entire team outside of just us moms have been so supportive,” said flight nurse Juli Heiple.
For Heiple, their situation represents something larger about women in demanding medical roles. “It’s important to show a pregnant person working in an aircraft taking care of critical patients,” she said.
The nurses plan to continue supporting each other through delivery and beyond, carrying forward the sisterhood they’ve built thousands of feet above Chicago.
“We can do hard things,” Heiple said.
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