Obstetrics

Pre-Pregnancy Counseling

If you are considering pregnancy and would like to schedule a pre-conception visit, please contact our office to make an appointment.

Pre-Pregnancy Preparation

• You should take prenatal or multivitamins with a minimum of 400mcg of folic acid approximately 3 months before trying to become pregnant.
• Have a dental exam and complete any necessary repairs.
• See your primary care provider or specialist if you have any pre-existing medical conditions.
• Make sure you are up to date on all of your vaccines.
• If you need vaccines, make sure you receive them at least one month prior to attempting pregnancy.
• Male partners should avoid hot tubs.
• You and your partner should avoid travel to any known areas with risk of Zika infection for at least 6 months prior to attempting pregnancy.

Nutrition during pregnancy

• In pregnancy, you’ll need approximately 300 additional calories per day.
• Have a combination of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
• Focus on whole grains and lean proteins and minimize sodium and starch intake.
• Dairy products fortified with vitamin A&D can provide your daily calcium and potassium needs.
• It is recommended that you consume no more than 200mg of caffeine daily (approximately 1-2 cups of coffee/day).

Exercise in pregnancy

• Pregnancy is not the time to start a new exercise program.
• At the beginning of pregnancy, you may feel tired and experience nausea, which might prevent you from exercising.
• If you stop exercising, it is okay to pick up where you left off once you feel better.
• Avoid excessively vigorous exercise, extreme and impact sports such as skiing and skydiving, and exercise in heated rooms such as hot yoga or pilates.

Foods and Substances to Avoid

• Pregnant women should not consume alcohol, recreational drugs or tobacco products.
• Do not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish while pregnant. They are high in mercury content.
• Avoid raw or undercooked meat and fish (may contain Toxoplasmosis).
• Avoid unpasteurized cheeses (may contain Listeria).
• Avoid hotdogs and deli meat unless they are cooked to steaming hot (may contain Listeria).

In Vitro Fertilization

• Fertility specialists perform IVF but once you are pregnant, physicians at Seattle OB/GYN are happy to manage your pregnancy.
• If you become pregnant via IVF and are being seen at a fertility clinic, we recommend making your first OB visit at Seattle OB/GYN between 8 and 10 weeks in order to establish care and begin your prenatal screening.
• We recommend bringing a copy of your fertility records with you to your first OB visit.

Healthy and low-risk pregnancy

• The majority of pregnancies are considered low-risk and you have the option of physician care at Seattle OB/GYN.
• All of our providers aim to have a safe vaginal delivery.

Management of Labor

• Our physicians will manage your labor from the time you are admitted to the hospital until your delivery.

Vaginal and Cesarean Section Births

• Physicians manage vaginal deliveries. Physicians perform cesarean section (c-section) deliveries when necessary.

TOLAC/VBAC

• TOLAC means a “Trial of labor after a Cesarean section (c-section) birth”. If you desire a vaginal delivery both our physicians will strongly encourage a TOLAC if it is safe and healthy for your pregnancy.
• VBAC means a “Vaginal Birth After a Cesarean section (c-section) birth” and is a successful trial of labor after a Cesarean section (TOLAC)

High Risk Pregnancy

• Our physicians manage high-risk pregnancies including but not limited to gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia in pregnancy, a patient with a history of bariatric surgery, endocrine disorders in pregnancy and twin pregnancies.
• Our physicians can manage patients enrolled in the Bloodless Program.

Limited Ultrasound Studies

• At Seattle OB/GYN, we have bedside ultrasounds and can perform limited ultrasound studies in our office..
• In low-risk pregnancies there are typically two ultrasounds performed. You can expect to receive an ultrasound at your first OB visit.
• We may recommend and order a "formal" ultrasound performed at the radiology department or certain indications that cannot be completed in our office.

Postpartum Care

• In the postpartum period, it is routine for you to see a provider 6-8 weeks following delivery for a full physical exam.
• We will review normal physical changes following delivery and discuss returning to normal activities.
• It is important that all women are assessed for postpartum depression.
• At this visit, we will also review your birth experience, discuss breastfeeding support and postpartum birth control.