Obstetrics and Prenatal Care
It's true what they say - having a baby changes everything! When you find out
that you’re pregnant, you’re probably filled simultaneously with joy and anxiety.
Quality prenatal care is of the utmost importance, and Highlands offers experienced
physicians who can answer your questions, calm your fears, and celebrate joyous
milestones with you. For more information about obstetrics/prenatal care, contact
our Greenville office serving all of Upstate, SC.
The six obstetrician/gynecologist physicians at Highlands Center for Women deliver hundreds of babies each year, and treat
both high risk and routine pregnancies. Our clinical obstetrics staff is among
the most experienced and compassionate in the area. Highlands also offers the
latest in prenatal testing and technology, including a world-class ultrasound department with specially-trained technicians and 3D/4D ultrasound capabilities, as well
as in-office non-stress testing.
If you’re pregnant, call us at (864) 234-0700 to schedule an obstetrics appointment
at our Greenville, SC office. We look forward to celebrating with you!
Your First OB Appointment
- Your first OB visit takes about one hour with our OB Nurse Counselor, who will
complete a health history and a pregnancy profile with you. She will discuss pregnancy
related medical issues like nutrition, exercise, and genetic testing, and can
answer any questions you have about pregnancy and office policies. Please be sure
to bring a list of all medication you are taking (including herbs and vitamins),
the date of the first day of your last period, and your insurance card. Your significant
other is encouraged to attend this first visit (and any of your subsequent OB
visits!)
- Our nurse will obtain a confirmation of your last menstrual period and to
make sure you are taking prenatal vitamins. Based on your last menstrual period,
she will calculate an approximate due date for your baby. (This does not mean
that you will deliver exactly on this date, but most women deliver within two
weeks one side or the other of this date.) We will confirm this date with an ultrasound
at around 12 weeks.
- At your first visit you can start the process of hospital pre-registration so
that it will be complete well in advance of your delivery. You can download the forms here, complete them and bring them with you to your first appointment to save time.
We will also need a copy of your ID and insurance card, so be sure to bring those
as well.
- You can expect to have some lab work completed to screen for immunities, infections,
check your overall wellness and check your blood type. Next, you will meet with
one of our OB physicians to have a general exam and pap smear.
- During your first visit you also will meet with our financial counselor to discuss
insurance, fees, and financial expectations during your pregnancy and delivery.
All fees should be satisfied prior to delivery and we will be glad to work with
you to satisfy your financial obligations.
Office Routines During Prenatal Visits
At each routine visit, we will:
• Ask for your driver’s license and current health insurance card at check in.
• Ask you to complete a short information sheet at check in.
• Collect a urine specimen.
• Check your weight and blood pressure.
• Ask you about any problems you are experiencing or concerns you may have.
• Assess fetal growth by measuring the distance from your pubic bone to the top
of your uterus, called the fundus, using a tape measure. Usually, the measurement
closely follows your weeks of pregnancy. For example, a woman who is 25 weeks
pregnant usually has a measurement around 25 cm.
After 12 weeks we will:
• Check your baby’s heart rate by applying a gel to your abdomen and using a handheld
Doppler device.
After 20 weeks we will:
• Ask you if you have felt your baby move.
After 38 weeks we will:
• Check your cervix for dilation and effacement.
High-Risk Obstetrics
Some women need special care during pregnancy either due to a pre-existing medical
condition like high blood pressure, diabetes or thyroid disorders; a condition
developed during pregnancy like gestational diabetes; genetic predispositions;
or simply by carrying multiple babies. The physicians
and clinical staff at Highlands are highly experienced in managing and treating
symptoms of high-risk pregnancies so you can rest assured knowing that you are
in the best of hands. If you have a chronic medical condition and are thinking
of becoming pregnant, call our office at (864) 234-0700 to schedule an appointment
to discuss special prenatal care needs.
Non-Stress Tests
If you are considered a high-risk pregnancy, you have too much or too little
amniotic fluid around your baby, or if your baby is not moving as much as expected and
are in your third trimester, your physician may recommend a non-stress test. During
this test, which is performed in the office, two belts are placed around
your stomach that record both your contractions and your baby’s heart rate and
movement. This test monitors your baby’s heartbeat to make sure your baby is getting
plenty of oxygen during the last stage of pregnancy.
Ultrasounds
Highlands Center for Women is accredited through the American Institute for Ultrasound
and Medicine, and all of our ultrasonographers are credentialed in obstetrics
and gynecology by the American Registry for Medical Sonographers. We are one out
of only two medical practices in Greenville to obtain certification from the Fetal
Medicine Foundation for Nuchal Translucency, which certifies our sonographers
to test for certain birth defects early in pregnancy.
You will typically have a first trimester ultrasound between 11 and 13 weeks,
unless you are having problems. This first ultrasound is typically an internal
ultrasound. This allows the technician to get a closer, clearer view of your baby.
At this ultrasound, you will be given a disc with pictures for you to keep. Be
sure to bring this disc with you to future ultrasound appointments so that new
images can be added to it.
At 20 weeks, you will have another ultrasound that includes a full anatomy scan
of the baby. This ultrasound will be performed on the outside of your belly. You
may be able to find out the sex of the baby during this visit if you would like
to. If you would like to take a peek at your baby in 3D, our office offers optional
3D/4D Ultrasounds to women who are between 28 and 32 weeks. Insurance does not
cover these ultrasounds, and there is a fee of $250.00 per session.
Your doctor may recommend additional ultrasounds as your pregnancy progresses.
These may be performed to give your doctor more information about your baby’s
position, fluid level and overall wellbeing.
Lab Work
Our practice uses LabCorp for all OB lab work. LabCorp is located in the same
building as our practice, on the first floor. Please check with your insurance
company to ensure that LabCorp is an approved provider. If you prefer that we
use another lab, please let us know.
Hospital Registration
You will be given hospital registration paperwork at your first OB visit (or
you can download it and bring it with you). If you are delivering at St. Francis, you will be asked
to attend a free, one-hour class called Great Expectations that will give you
a complete overview of what to expect while in the hospital. At Great Expectations,
your hospital registration will be confirmed. Take a video tour of the hospital and learn more at stfrancisbaby.org.
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