Dr. Alexis Jones
Medical School: The Chicago Medical School
Residency: Rush University Medical Center, Obstetrics/Gynecology
Specialty: Obstetrics and Gynecology

Offices:
Primary Office
Mary Potter Pavilion
2850 West 95th Street, Suite 203
Evergreen Park, IL 60805
(708) 499-4100

736 West 95th Street
Chicago, IL 60628
(708) 499-4100

During your pregnancy, did you ever feel nervous or anxious like most pregnant women do?
I felt nervous, as any mom-to-be would be.

What activities did you incorporate during your pregnancy and why?
I was just as active as I was when I was not pregnant. I did exercise regularly—mainly with swimming and low impact exercising.

What did you enjoy the most about being pregnant?
I enjoyed the quiet moments with my pregnancy, when I could sit and relax and enjoy my baby’s movement.

What pregnancy advice can you give to other pregnant moms?
My advice to moms-to-be is to continue to be active in pregnancy and enjoy the quiet moments, since they are infrequent when the little one arrives. I would also advise to eat healthy foods and know that you really only need an additional 300 calories to the usual 2200 calorie per day diet.

How did the experience of being pregnant/giving birth affect your perspective as a physician?
My experience with all of my pregnancies has allowed me to have a personal, real testimony for pregnant moms. I can often answer questions by saying, “Yes, I know what you are experiencing. I have been there also!”

The technology, known as the da Vinci Surgical System, enables doctors to perform major gynecological surgery with only a few small incisions, so patients recover faster.

It is being used at Little Company of Mary to treat a number of gynecologic conditions that might require a hysterectomy, including:

• Fibroid tumors
• Abnormal bleeding
• Pelvic pain
• Endometriosis

By combining robotics and state-of-the-art computer technology, the da Vinci system enables surgeons to operate with greater precision than is possible with both open surgery and laparoscopic surgery.

“With the da Vinci system, we have the full range of motion with our instruments when we operate, which means greater dexterity and control,” says Travis Haldeman, D.O., an OB/GYN on staff at Little Company of Mary. “The robotic system makes technically challenging gynecological surgery much easier.”

A da Vinci hysterectomy is performed through four or five small incisions in the patient’s abdomen. Surgeons sit at a console, where they direct the movement of the robotic arms and have a highly magnified 3-D view of their operating field. The system translates the surgeon’s hand movements at the console into precise movements of the surgical instruments attached to the robotic arms.

Alexis Jones, M.D., an OB/GYN on staff at Little Company of Mary, says she can see so well with da Vinci’s high-definition visualization that it’s almost like being inside the patient. “During surgery, you can recognize a bleeding blood vessel right away and stop the bleeding immediately,” she says. “This helps decrease the risk for complications and the need for a blood transfusion and can lead to better outcomes.”

In addition to a quicker recovery time, other potential benefits of a robotic-assisted surgery include less blood loss, reduced postoperative pain and a reduced risk for infection.

“We see patients the morning after a robotic-assisted hysterectomy, and they’ve already eaten and are up and dressed,” says Monica Christmas, M.D., an OB/GYN at Little Company of Mary. “It’s remarkable. Patients having this surgery typically go home the next day, and most are back to normal functioning in two to four weeks.”

For more information about Little Company of Mary’s OBGYN’s, please visit our website at www.lcmh.org.

Dr. Andrea Jones
708.952.4878

• Medical School: University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry
• Residency: State University of New York
• Specialty /Specialties: Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Main Interests: Adolescent Health, Patient Education

What is your philosophy of care?
Always treat patients how you would treat your loved ones

Why did you want to become a doctor?
I have always had the strong desire to help those around me. Practicing medicine allows me to do this to the fullest extent.

What are your sub-specialties and health interests in regard to your patients?
Adolescent health has always been a passion of mine. I think that all patients should know at least the basics when it comes to how our bodies function. This education should begin in the adolescent years. I love to spend time educating patients, and I pride myself in taking time to answer their questions, so that they leave the office well informed.

How to you maintain a healthy work/life balance?
I have a career that I truly enjoy and I surround myself with people I love. It doesn’t get much better than that.

What are your hobbies and interests outside the office?
I love traveling out of the country, but my goal is to visit all of the United States National Parks. I enjoy anything involving the great outdoors.