Dr. Stephanie Ann Hedstrom, MD

It is 2019, and Dr. Stephanie Hedstrom has brought her special level of uncompassionate care to Tucson, Arizona. She diagnosed my son with an extremely rare heart condition, but did not let me know at the time of the ultrasound. I received a phone call from my midwife 5 days later letting me know the devastating news that my baby would require heart surgery soon after birth. She referred me to the local children's hospital and gave me the name of a high risk obgyn, and I haven't heard from her since. A fetal echocardiogram 5 weeks later found so signs of defect. In the meantime, Dr. Hedstrom called my house twice to check on the results of the fetal echo. From these calls I got the sense that she likes confirmation of her rightness. When I told her that the cardiologist found nothing, she actually sounded disappointed and offered no apology. Instead of admitting wrongness, she said the defect must have sealed up. I find it ridiculous that she was so quick to diagnose my baby without… even doing her google research to see that such a defect never closes on its own. On a side note: when researching her credentials on the internet, nowhere will you find that she has any background reading ultrasounds. Shame on Valley Perinatal for allowing her to do work that she just may not be qualified to perform.

Amazing perio

Dr. Hedstrom spent very little time with me even thought the diagnosis for my baby was very upsetting. Her technician did most of the work. She came in at the end of the appointment and told me what the technician found and encouraged me to come see her again in several weeks. Her bedside manner was very matter of fact even though the news she was giving me was not good. I told my OB/GYN and I switched to another doctor that did take time to help explain my options.

My first impression of this doctor was that she was stuck on herself. Her waiting room was filled with pictures of her success stories and thank you letters. On my second appointment I found out my son had hyrocephalus. (This was the only appointment I went to by myself). She escorted me to her office and showed me pictures of children with hydrocephalus and when I asked her what I could do she informed that her opinion was to get an abortion. She then went on saying I was young and it would be hard for someone like me to raise a child with special needs. I asked for a second opinion and at that visit the doctors said that in Hedstrom's notes I was considering an abortion. I was ticked off to say the least. I have been tempted many times to walk my child into her office and show her how AMAZING he is. He did have some mild delays but he is also more advanced in some areas when compared to children his own age. He is now out of special education and I couldn't imagine life without him.… It makes me wonder what she has told other paitents of hers that weren't going to be "normal". This doctor needs a bedside manner refreshment course. And not to press her personal values on her patients.