Midwifery Services The Deaconess Women’s Clinic provides care for women, by women.  It is unique in that all of the providers are certified nurse midwives (CNMs) who care for women throughout their lifespan, from adolescence to post-menopause.

At Deaconess, we know that when a baby is on the way, you and your family are filled with expectations. You expect every stage of your birthing experience, from preconception counseling through postpartum visits and childcare education, to proceed smoothly and professionally.

Even more important, you expect the hospital staff to show you that they care and will do whatever is necessary to make your experience a pleasant one. Deaconess adds these extra touches to ensure that their patients' birthing experiences are both wonderful and memorable times.

The Women's & Children's Center at Deaconess is dedicated to exceeding your expectations. Our comprehensive birthing services cover every need you, your baby and your family may have. Our staff of highly trained, experienced professionals is focused on providing you the exceptional medical care you deserve.

Our high level of medical expertise is important in making our new parents feel secure. This combined with the friendly, family-oriented, hands-on atmosphere at Deaconess explains why more new parents each year choose Deaconess more than any other hospital on our region. We deliver more than 2,800 babies each year.

If you are like most women, your pregnancy will be normal. You will go through your pregnancy without any major problems and have a normal birth. But a small number of women need extra help getting pregnant or may have complicated pregnancies, go into labor early or need some of the specialized services Deaconess Medical Center offers. As one of the region's designated Level III Perinatal Centers, Deaconess has the technology and expertise to handle high-risk mothers and newborns needing intensive care.

At Deaconess Medical Center, our goal is to provide a positive care experience for you and your baby. This means constantly looking for new and creative ways to serve your needs. Here are some of the ways we accomplish this goal:

• We believe that the birth of a baby is an event that affects the entire family, so we encourage an atmosphere of family-centered care.
  
• Our birthing suites provide a home-like environment where you can labor, deliver your baby and recover for with your baby. We perform Cesarean births in a special delivery suite located in the birthing area.
  
• Certified lactation consultants are available for individual consultation about breastfeeding.
  
• In our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, care is provided from a developmental perspective, which focuses on creating a supportive, low-stimulation atmosphere in which premature babies can best meet developmental goals.

• Deaconess Medical Center operates one of the premier Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) in the state. The 32-bed facility is staffed 24 hours a day with highly trained clinical staff specializing in Level III neonatal care, utilizing the most up-to-date medical equipment.
  
• Neonatologists (physicians who specialize in the care of newborns) are available 24 hours a day.
  
• Perinatologists (physicians who specialize in high-risk pregnancies) are available 24 hours a day.
  
• Our Perinatal Center provides care for at-risk women using a variety of tests, treatments and information related to the physical and emotional demands of high-risk pregnancy.
  
• Obstetrical Anesthesiologists, who specialize in anesthesia for labor and delivery, are available in-house 24 hours a day.
  
• Obstetricians are available 24 hours a day.

Whether it's a normal pregnancy or a high-risk one, we're here to provide you with the care you need. And that includes keeping you informed on a wide variety of topics related to your childbirth experience. Deaconess Medical Center offers a complete series of classes designed to provide you with the best possible educational preparation and to enable you to enjoy this exciting time.

We provide a unified, interdisciplinary approach to high-risk obstetrics. Full-service, advanced facilities for both mother and baby are located under the same roof, on the same floor, saving precious time in situations where every moment is critical.

The program provides personal attention and promotes continuity of care. The same perinatal team remains with the patient throughout the pregnancy to help ensure that no development is overlooked. This increased attentiveness allows us to tailor the program to each patient's needs and to each referring obstetricians's capabilities and requirements.

Varying degrees of participation exist--a referred patient may need only one visit to the program for a test or consultation, or in some cases, a full transfer of care can take place. Our perinatologists act primarily as coordinators of care, to involve any necessary specialists in a patient's care -- from the obstetrician to the neonataologist to the pediatric surgeon.

Overall, we take a flexible, consultative approach to high-risk care, updating the referring physician involved in each stage of care. The program physicians provide feedback to a referring physician, via telephone and fax. The referring physician is also provided with direct, 24-hour access to a perinatologist via telephone and pager, to avoid a gap in communication.

Many people will not invest in the price of a movie ticket without checking the reviews. But, how can you tell if you are getting a good ultrasound examination? In a world that has become technically sophisticated, many people rely on the advice and guidance of experts in the field.

Patient referrals for Deaconess Medical Center’s new 3D ultrasound imaging may be made by calling the Perinatal Clinic at (509) 458-6080.

See also the Deaconess Women’s Clinic, where treatment for holistic, healthy delivery services by certified nurse mid-wives is provided.