Obstetric Services
Preconceptual Counseling
We encourage women considering becoming pregnant to visit us for Preconceptual (or Preconception) Counseling, optimally three to six months before you would like to become pregnant. Preconceptual counseling allows your OB provider to screen you for normal health and development, and to identify any possible risks to your health or the health of your baby if you become pregnant. We also counsel women on how to prepare their bodies to provide a healthy environment in which a fetus can grow.
Typically your doctor will order blood work, a urinalysis and will review your complete personal and family medical histories, your home and workplace environments and any lifestyle factors that may affect your efforts to conceive and carry a baby.
Prenatal Care
Prenatal care is one of the best gifts you can give your baby – and yourself – during your pregnancy. Regular visits to your OB provider throughout your pregnancy help ensure everything is progressing well, both for mom and baby.
Make an appointment see your OB provider as soon as you think you are pregnant. At your first visit, expect to review your complete medical history, including previous pregnancies, as well as receive a physical examination. Your OB provider may also order blood tests or an ultrasound to estimate your due date.
Certified Nurse Midwifery Practice
We are proud to offer our patients an alternative to traditional OB/GYN care with our certified midwifery practices. St. Joseph’s certified nurse-midwives are the experts in natural childbirth. It is our goal to educate every mother-to-be and her loved ones so that they can actively participate in the decision making process. We’re here to support you every step of the way. We offer personalized attention during the birthing process in the safety of the hospital for those wishing for a natural childbirth experience. Learn more about this practice.
Childbirth and Newborn Care Services
St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center believes that the childbirth experience is a very personal and special experience. We provide a family-centered approach while still providing expert care. Our Labor Care Area consists of the Labor, Delivery & Recovery Rooms. There is a dedicated area for high-risk deliveries within the Labor and Delivery Unit. Our Level III Nursery Intensive Care Unit, providing care for premature infants or those who may special needs, is located on the same floor. St. Joseph's can perform vaginal birth after c-section with a response time of 2 minutes. This can be accomplished with even midwives as the primary providers. Learn more about our services.
Gynecologic Services
A woman should be actively involved in making sure she is at her best health. We encourage every woman to have a relationship with her gynecologist so that if concerns arise, the two of them can, as a team, make the best decisions. At the Center for Women's Health, we provide mammograms, pap smears, pelvic exams, and breast exams.
Menopause
There is no magic age at which women can expect to enter menopause, just as there is no specific set of symptoms that define this stage in a woman’s life. Menopause is not a medical condition, but is a natural change a woman’s body goes through. And every woman goes through it in her own way. Menopause itself requires no medical treatment, but the symptoms of menopause – such as hot flashes and night sweats, irregular vaginal bleeding, emotional and cognitive problems and other physical changes – can be eased through a variety of treatments and lifestyle changes. At the Center for Women's Health, our providers will counsel patients on the best options for easing and preventing the symptoms of menopause through treatments that may include a combination of hormone therapies, alternative therapies, non-hormone therapies and other medical and pharmaceutical therapies, as well as through lifestyle changes.
