Obstetrics

COVID-19 vaccine booster

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends that pregnant and recently pregnant people, those trying to conceive, and those up to 6 weeks postpartum receive the new bivalent omicron-specific COVID-19 vaccine booster, as pregnant individuals are at increased risk of severe COVID-19 infection Researchers have identified that the vaccine is effective at preventing hospitalization and death from covid; it has been shown to decrease symptomatic infections and decrease transmission if you do become ill. Data shows that COVID-19 vaccines are both safe and effective when administered during pregnancy. We at The Women’s Group of Northwestern strongly encourage our pregnant patients to be vaccinated and boosted, including with the new bivalent omicron-specific booster.

Prior to Pregnancy

Our staff can help you make informed decisions about conception and planning for a healthy pregnancy. Scheduling a separate preconception appointment will allow ample time to discuss fertility planning, genetic testing, diet, exercise, supplements, and medications while you are trying to conceive and once you are pregnant.

Preconception Appointment

To help ensure a healthy pregnancy, schedule a preconception appointment with your provider as soon as you begin thinking about pregnancy. A preconception appointment is especially important if you’re in your 30’s or 40’s or you have any chronic health conditions or special concerns. We will review your health risks together at this visit.

With frequent unprotected sex, most healthy couples conceive within one year. Understanding when you are most fertile can make getting pregnant easier. It is also important to consider simple do’s and don’ts of conception. For example, maintain a healthy weight, eat a healthy diet and have sex regularly — especially near the time of ovulation. Do not smoke or drink alcohol.

At your preconception appointment, our providers will also review your ethnic background, family history and optional genetic testing available before you become pregnant. Some evaluations include tests for sickle cell, thalassemia,  cystic fibrosis and a panel of tests that are more common in people of Ashkenazi Jewish background, as well as other genetic options.

We also offer an educational class on “what to expect before you’re expecting”, that will cover topic such as nutrition for fertility, why preparing for pregnancy matters, lifestyle factors to optimize fertility, monitoring your cycle, ovulation and much more… Click here for more information regarding our virtual class What to expect before you’re expecting

Obstetrical Care for Mothers-To-Be

Your baby’s birth and the months leading up to the birth are an exciting and special time. This is also a time when expectant mothers have a lot of questions and our team at the Women’s Group of Northwestern is privileged to guide you through each step of this special journey. Our providers are here to put your mind at ease by providing you personalized care and creating a supportive environment. It is our mission to provide you with all of the information, support, and services required for you to make informed decisions, and to lead you through a healthy and safe pregnancy and delivery.

The Women’s Group of Northwestern is a group practice. Our providers have varied schedules. There are days they are in the office, days they are at the hospital for deliveries, as well as days off. The advantage of a group practice is that we create an opportunity and encourage you to schedule your regular prenatal visits with multiple providers so that you will be familiar with other providers should your primary care provider not be on-call when you go into labor and deliver your baby. We have an excellent team of nurse practitioners and physician assistants who are well versed in general obstetrics to see you for routine or problem visits in order accommodate all of our patient’s scheduling needs. Our entire team is dedicated to you and your baby.

On your special day, both mother and baby will be taken care of by our experienced obstetrical team. We deliver babies at Prentice Women’s Hospital which is part of Northwestern Memorial Hospital located in Downtown Chicago Illinois.

Nurturing Mothers, Nurturing Babies

Prenatal services are central to ensuring the health of you and your baby. The Women’s Group of Northwestern offers in-house ultrasounds, laboratory testing, and fetal monitoring. Our ultrasonographers are fully accredited to perform routine screening and anatomic surveys.

We have provided a copy of our OB booklet for you to help answer common questions you may experience along the way. We encourage you to keep it nearby and bookmark our website as a resource throughout your pregnancy.

For our OB packet, please click here.

Please review our OB Calendar to familiarize yourself with what to expect at your visits in the months to come: Please click here

Special Circumstances for that Special Addition

Most pregnancies progress without problems, but some are more complicated than others, requiring specialized obstetrics care beyond routine. Conditions that might cause a high-risk pregnancy include:

The Women’s Group of Northwestern is committed to providing you support and obstetric excellence. We consider it a privilege to partner with each and every mother and baby who come into our care.

Please call our office to schedule an appointment with us. Request an invite to our new patient portal.

For additional Obstetrical Educational information click here.

 

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