Obstetrics and Gynecology

When you choose Mayo Clinic for pregnancy care, you receive compassionate, expert and personalized care before, during and after pregnancy. You'll also have the comfort of knowing that your care team supports you and your choices in this most miraculous of life's transitions. Mayo Clinic midwives and doctors listen to what's most important to you, as they recognize that the sociological, psychological and cultural implications of childbirth may be different for each person. At the Family Birth Center, about 2,400 babies are delivered each year.

Most pregnancies proceed smoothly. If problems develop, you can be confident that your care team is prepared for every possible situation. And if you have a medical condition that makes your pregnancy challenging, you have access to medical specialties and subspecialties as needed. You also have access to prenatal diagnostic care, including sophisticated imaging, neonatal specialty care and advanced nursery services.

Mayo Clinic's prenatal and perinatal services include:

• OB Nest. This unique model of prenatal care at Mayo Clinic aims to increase convenience and meet the needs of busy low-risk pregnant women who prefer more involvement in their prenatal care. OB Nest uses at-home monitoring technology, online communities for pregnant women to connect with one another and other innovations to create a supportive environment.
• Perinatal education. Mayo Clinic provides a wide selection of perinatal education classes on its Minnesota campus and online. These classes can help you and your family welcome and care for your new baby.
• The Family Birth Center. The center offers you a new standard for giving birth in a warm, family-centered environment. It includes high-tech electronic resources that can enhance the relationship between you and your provider during pregnancy. For more information about the Rochester obstetrics, midwifery and maternal fetal medicine practice, please visit the Mayo Clinic Connect Pregnancy blog.

Care process

You'll choose a primary health care provider in obstetrics, who becomes familiar with your health history and develops with you a plan for your pregnancy. You'll generally see this primary care provider for the majority of prenatal visits so that you can develop a trusting relationship. The obstetrics practice also includes nurse specialists, registered dietitians, social workers and perinatal educators who can respond to your needs.

Obstetricians and certified nurse midwives are in the hospital at all times to handle situations requiring immediate attention. Neonatologists and pediatric specialists staff the newborn intensive care units and other nurseries.

Treatment and services

Whatever your situation, your Mayo Clinic care team is prepared to help you. Your team has expertise in:

• Preterm labor or preterm premature rupture of membranes
• Gestational diabetes and diabetes mellitus
• Gestational hypertension and preeclampsia
• Fetal malpresentation and previous shoulder dystocia
• Consideration of vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC)
• Multifetal gestation
• Intrauterine growth restriction (baby growing poorly during pregnancy)
• Oligohydramnios and polyhydramnios (too little or too much amniotic fluid)
• Advanced maternal age (mother older than 35 years at delivery)
• Grand multiparity (more than five pregnancies)
• Maternal and fetal medical and surgical conditions, often in collaboration with other specialists

Perinatal education classes

While pregnant, you will have access to perinatal education that helps you and your family prepare for the birth of a child. You will learn about:

• Pregnancy and labor preparation
• Preconception care
• Preparation for young or first-time mothers
• Preparation for cesarean delivery
• Multiple pregnancy
• Sibling preparation for a new baby or birth attendance
• Breastfeeding
• Infant passenger safety
• Grandparenting
• Vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC)

Learn more about and register for perinatal education classes.

Breast-feeding support

While you're at the hospital after you give birth, you'll have the opportunity to talk with specially trained nurses who provide breastfeeding information and help. If you need additional help, you may talk with a certified lactation consultant and attend postpartum breastfeeding classes.

If you continue receiving medical care at Mayo Clinic after leaving the hospital, you may continue to receive breastfeeding support from a lactation consultant. Classes and breastfeeding support are available for families who have a newborn hospitalized in one of the special care nurseries.

Making an appointment

You're encouraged to make an initial appointment soon after you discover you are pregnant and preferably within the first 10 weeks of gestation. If you have a health condition that could affect your pregnancy or your child's development, Mayo Clinic doctors highly recommend preconception visits.

Your first appointment consists of a thorough medical history, a risk assessment and an educational session with specially trained nurses. Appropriate follow-up appointments and laboratory testing are arranged.

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