Why Choose St. Luke’s?
Expecting a new baby is full of surprises, milestones and questions. Our maternity and childbirth team is here to help guide you from when you’re just thinking about starting a family to the day you meet your new baby. We’re a multiple-year winner of the Women’s Choice Award for our high-quality maternity care. Learn more about our honors and awards.
Finding OBGYN care
Once you find out you’re pregnant, one of the first things you’ll want to do is schedule an appointment with your OBGYN. If you don't already have an OBGYN or want to be sure to choose one who delivers at St. Luke’s, we can help you find an OBGYN [link to filtered search results for OBGYN] who meets your specific needs.
At your first appointment, you can expect your provider to do a physical exam, order bloodwork and perhaps other tests, discuss your personal health history and goals, and provide education on how to be as healthy and safe as possible during your pregnancy. Our doctors offer two types of genetic tests that can help you make informed decisions about medical care and treatment for your child. The first is a carrier screening performed before or during pregnancy that helps determine the chances of passing on an inherited genetic condition to your child. The second is a noninvasive cell-free prenatal screening test that identifies whether your baby has a higher chance of having chromosomal conditions, such as Down syndrome.
High-Risk Pregnancy Support
Most pregnancies and deliveries are healthy and without complication. But some women experience high-risk conditions or develop complications during pregnancy, childbirth or postpartum (after childbirth). St. Luke’s partners with Access TeleCare to bring board-certified maternal-fetal medicine specialists to our patients via telemedicine. Our obstetricians and maternity providers have 24/7 access to the highest level of consultation to diagnose and treat women with high-risk pregnancies and those experiencing complex deliveries. Learn more about our high-risk pregnancy care.
From 24/7 maternal-fetal medicine support to our Special Care Nursery, a level II neonatal nursery, if you need specialty care during your pregnancy and beyond, we’re here for you.
Considerations for Childbirth
As you begin to prepare for your labor and delivery, here are some things you’ll want to do:
- Learn about the various types of childbirth, such as vaginal birth, cesarean birth (C-section) or vaginal birth after a prior C-section (VBAC)
- Find out what to expect during a C-section
- Decide who will be in the delivery room with you
- Consider contacting our maternity nurse navigator, who can give you a tour and help you with your birth plan
- Attend classes on labor and delivery preparation and caring for newborns
- Pre-register for admission to St. Luke's for delivery
- Download our Hospital Packing List (PDF) to help you gather the things you’ll need for labor, your hospital stay and going home
- Talk with your provider about all these important plans