We offer comprehensive obstetric care to keep you and your baby healthy during your pregnancy. Prenatal care is an important part of pregnancy. From prenatal visits, diagnostic tests and screenings to delivery, our doctors and nurses are here for you each step of the way. Our obstetric services also include:
Ultrasounds
An ultrasound is a diagnostic procedure in which a transducer is moved across a woman’s abdomen, producing high-frequency sound waves that create a picture of the baby on a monitor. Ultrasounds can be performed at any time during pregnancy, but most often are performed in the first trimester to confirm pregnancy and detect gestational age, and in the second trimester to detect the child’s gender. Ultrasounds can also be performed to detect an ectopic pregnancy as well as any developmental or skeletal abnormalities.
The types of ultrasounds include:
- Transvaginal – special probe used during the early stages of pregnancy
- Standard – traditional 2D scan
- 3-D – generates 3-D images of the baby
- 4-D – generates 4-D images of the baby (especially of the face)
Amniocentesis
An amniocentesis is a diagnostic test that can be ordered by your physician if there are genetic concerns. It can be performed during weeks 14 – 20 if genetic abnormalities, such as Down’s syndrome, spina bifida or cystic fibrosis, are suspected as well as in the third trimester to determine if your baby has fetal anemia and to determine if the baby’s lungs are mature for an early delivery.
During the procedure, the abdomen is numbed and a needle is inserted into the amniotic sac. It is guided by an ultrasound to determine a safe area (away from the baby) to enter. Amniotic fluid, which contains cells from the baby, is collected and then sent to a laboratory for testing.
Deliveries
There are two types of delivery – vaginal and c-section. With a vaginal delivery, a woman may choose to have an epidural, which numbs the body from the waist down, keeping the mother from feeling contractions or pain during delivery. Some mothers choose to have a natural childbirth with no anesthesia or pain medication.
If a complication arises during the pregnancy or delivery, and the physician feels it will be unsafe for the mother or baby to deliver vaginally, the baby can be delivered via c-section (cesarean birth). With a c-section, an incision is made in the abdomen and the baby is pulled out. A spinal block or epidural is administered to numb from the chest down to the legs, allowing the mother to remain awake during the procedure. In certain cases, general anesthesia has to be administered, which does not allow the mother to be awake for the delivery.
To learn more about the delivery process, we encourage you to sign up for prenatal classes. These classes will educate you on each phase of labor, breathing techniques, delivery, postpartum care and breastfeeding.