University of South Alabama Children’s & Women’s Hospital will present “Current Trends 2004,” a conference for health care professionals interested in enhancing their knowledge of neonatal, pediatric and perinatal care, on Thursday and Friday, Sept. 9-10 in the Atlantis Room of the hospital located at 1700 Center Street.

Topics will include “Designer Babies: Do We Have the Right to Make the Choice?” by Dr. Botros Rizk, professor of obstetrics and gynecology; “Very Low Birth Weight Infants: Neurological Outcomes,” by Dr. Fabien G. Eyal, professor and medical director of the hospital’s Hollis J. Wiseman Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; “Difficult Choices – Difficult Decisions,” by Angie Hollis-Sells, RN, CHPN, director of clinical services for Hospice South; “Cutting Corners..Cutting Care?” by Julie Litzinger, MPA, director of risk management; “The Spirituality of Suffering,” by Cathy O’Keefe, M.Ed., CTRS, associate professor of health, physical education and leisure services; “The Health of Our Nation,” by Schelle Watts, RN, RD, LD, living donor transplant coordinator and dietitian, USA Regional Transplant Center; “Update on Type II Diabetes,” by Suzanne Yates, RD, CDE, nutrition services supervisor; and “Surgical Treatment for Obesity,” Sherry Hinton, RN, Touro Infirmary Hospital in New Orleans. Thursday’s program has been approved for 7.4 hours of continuing education units. Friday’s half-day session is approved for 3.8 continuing education units.

Participants may attend the entire conference or a single day. Registration for both days is $115, Thursday is $70 and Friday is $50. Discounted rates are available for USA employees. For information, contact the Education Department at USA Children’s & Women’s Hospital at (251) 415-1069 or Vivian Brown at vibrown@usouthal.edu.