One of the first decisions you will make during pregnancy is choosing your provider. Having a strong relationship with your healthcare provider is important in promoting a healthy pregnancy and delivery outcome. Ask people you trust for recommendations — family, friends, co-workers and even your other healthcare providers. Then, check out your options more thoroughly by researching their credentials and patient reviews.

 

You also can set up an appointment with a prospective provider for a short interview. That way, you can ask questions specific to your circumstances and determine your comfort level with not only the provider, but also the office policies, staff and labor environment. 

 

Here are some important aspects to consider when choosing a provider.

 

Thinking about your personal health history can help you better identify specific needs. For example, if you have underlying conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes or epilepsy, or experienced complications in a previous pregnancy, you’ll want to find a provider that delivers at a hospital that can accommodate high-risk pregnancies. You may even need to see a maternal fetal medicine doctor (perinatologist), who specializes in high-risk pregnancies. Choosing a provider who has experience with pregnancy complications will improve health outcomes for you and your baby.

 

You may have a very particular image of what the setting looks like when you bring your child into the world. When considering a birthing center, find out how many support people are allowed to be in the room with you. Do they offer comfort items such as a laboring tub or birthing ball? Is it quiet, private and can you play music? Does the center support immediate skin-to-skin contact with your baby once it is born? Be sure to find a location that best supports your wishes.

The most common providers that individuals choose in their pregnancy journey are obstetricians (OBs) or certified nurse midwives (CNM). For a low-risk pregnancy, your family medicine provider also may be able to deliver your baby, if they do deliveries.

 

OBs and CNMs complete different levels of training. An OB/GYN goes through the training that a physician does, which includes medical school, residency and any specialized training needed. A CNM first becomes a registered nurse, then completes a graduate program and national certification exam to become a CNM. CNMs work alongside obstetricians and other members of the care team in hospital and office settings to ensure females receive high quality, individualized care. Midwives work to support and educate their patients through all phases of pregnancy and delivery, and support both medicated and non-medicated delivery methods. They are especially skilled at using alternative birthing positions, birthing balls, hydrotherapy and massage. 

 

Both providers provide care throughout pregnancy and postpartum, as well as family planning and gynecological care. Should you need surgery to deliver the baby, such as a caesarian section, an OB is brought in to perform the surgery.

 

In cases of a higher risk pregnancy, you may be referred to see a maternal fetal medicine doctor (perinatologist). A maternal fetal medicine specialist has advanced training and experience in high-risk pregnancies and prenatal diagnosis and provides specialized care to manage certain complications that may arise during pregnancy.

Summa Health has an entire team of OB/GYNs and certified nurse midwives throughout the region available to support you throughout your pregnancy. And when it is time for baby to come, we offer the most comprehensive maternal/newborn services in the area. Whether you are a first-time mom or adding another member to your family, you can take comfort in knowing you and your baby will be receiving the highest level of medical expertise and care possible, supported by the most advanced technology for ensuring the well-being of you and your baby.

 

For more information, contact Summa Health’s childbirth experts by calling 330.319.9500.