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Maternity

Where you choose to have your baby and the obstetrician you choose to join you on your journey are important choices. We want to make that decision easier for parents-to-be, with state-of-the-art maternity care and an environment that feels like home.

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Heartfelt maternity care for you + your child

The first moments you spend with your baby are among life's most precious. It's our honor to be the place and people you choose to share that with.

But first, there are likely a million things running through your head right now as you await your little one. We're here to help you make sense of it all as your maternity care team.

We work with some of the brightest minds in maternal medicine, with years of experience bringing babies into the world. We'll be here to support you at every step in your path to parenthood. In fact, we believe so strongly in our maternity services that many of our doctors and care team members choose to have their own babies here, too.

Andrea Zuckerman, MD, Chief of Women’s Care at Tufts Medical Center, in clinic examining pregnant patient Van Khanh Tran.
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Conditions

You want the best for your baby, and we want the best for you both. That’s why our emergency obstetrics care team is on standby for parents and babies who require immediate evaluation and treatment.

We recommend speaking with your OBGYN to set up guidelines and protocols for emergencies. If you’re experiencing a life-threatening condition, call 911 immediately.

This way, you’ll be on the lookout for symptoms that could be warning signs that require immediate medical attention. These symptoms include:

  • Abdominal pain
  • Concern about preterm labor
  • Conditions related to high-risk pregnancy (such as high blood pressure)
  • Decrease in baby’s normal movement
  • Postpartum complications like excessive bleeding
  • Ruptured membranes
  • Urinary tract or bladder infections
  • Vaginal bleeding
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Testing

Pregnancy can be a time filled with questions about what to expect next and how to best care for your growing little one. We provide parents-to-be with a full range of diagnostic tests before and during pregnancy to answer these questions.

Prenatal testing

We will advise you on testing but a typical prenatal timeline may look like this:

  • 8–10 weeks: Your first prenatal visit will be complete with an exam, bedside ultrasound, counseling and blood work.
  • 11–14 weeks: Part 1 of a 2-part exam, people under age 35 will undergo a sequential screen blood test where we'll test for Down syndrome, trisomy 18 and open neural tube defect. Your doctor will perform a nuchal translucency ultrasound to measure fluid in the back of the baby's neck for chromosomal abnormalities. 
  • 11–21 weeks: Your doctor will perform non-invasive prenatal testing for Down syndrome as well as trisomy 18 and trisomy 13. You also have the option to learn your baby's gender at this point in your pregnancy. 
  • 16–20 weeks: Part 2 of a 2-part sequential screen blood test is completed. 
  • 18–21 weeks: You'll receive a complete an anatomy scan, which is an ultrasound scan of the baby's entire anatomy.
  • 24–28 weeks: Your doctor will perform a blood test to check blood sugar, blood type and complete blood count.
  • 28 weeks: During this visit, your doctor will give you the Tdap vaccine. If you're Rh negative (Rh-), you'll also receive a Rhogam injection. 
  • 36 weeks: You'll receive a vaginal culture to check for group B strep (GBS). 
  • 37–40 weeks: Your doctor may check your cervix for dilation. 

Diagnostic care for high-risk pregnancies

For women and assigned females at birth (AFABs) experiencing a high-risk pregnancy, we offer a full range of diagnostic procedures, such as:

  • Amniocentesis (taking a sample of amniotic fluid to look for abnormalities)
  • Chorionic villus sampling and fetal blood sampling
  • Preconception and prenatal counseling, when recommended
  • Routine sonographic exams

Genetic testing + counseling

We offer preconception and prenatal counseling to better provide parents with the information they need to make informed decisions about family planning. Counseling helps put genetics into perspective so you can weigh your family planning options should you be a carrier for a genetic mutation.

Diagnostic testing can shed light onto a growing baby's predisposition to certain genetic conditions while still in utero. A genetic counselor will walk you through your testing options and the pros and cons of each procedure. While these tests are completely optional, they're the only way to know if the baby has a chromosomal abnormality.

Preparing for pregnancy

Family is family, no matter how you choose to grow it. And because trying to conceive a baby looks different for everyone, we encourage speaking with your gynecologist or primary care doctor when you're ready to start growing your family. Seeking advice early on will help you better prepare for a healthy pregnancy. Tips may range from quitting smoking to maintaining a heart-healthy weight.

It's important to know that if you've been trying to conceive for 6–12 months without success, there may be an underlying cause of infertility. Our specialists offer a full range of fertility testing for all involved partners.

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Treatments

We’ll create a maternal health plan that’s uniquely you, from conception to delivery and beyond.

Family planning

Having a child is a big decision that comes with lifelong responsibilities. While that decision is ultimately yours to make, being as informed as possible can help you understand your options.

We encourage you to first meet with our family planning experts to discuss your pregnancy and anything you might need to do to prepare for it, like reaching a healthy weight or quitting smoking.

If you and your partner are among the 1 in 6 people who struggle to conceive naturally, your doctor may refer you to our fertility program, where our skilled doctors and nurses provide the full range of fertility testing and treatment services. Fertility treatment can also fulfill the possibility of parenthood for LGBTQIA+ persons and single parents by choice.

Pregnancy care

When you’re pregnant, there are plenty of choices to make: baby names, nursery paint colors and even diapers. Choosing the right care team to guide and nurture you during your pregnancy is even more important.

Our obstetricians are passionate about supporting and getting to know parents-to-be throughout their pregnancy.

And given the vibrant diversity of our communities, many of our doctors and staff are fluent in a variety of languages — like Mandarin, Cantonese, and English — so more people can feel confident in how we communicate and respect cultural nuances.

Obstetrics emergency care

Our OBGYN experts are available around the clock should an emergency arise. We provide emergency care services for people who are currently pregnant or several weeks postpartum, like:

  • Access to on-site obstetric specialists whenever you need them
  • Coordination and communication of your symptoms and treatments with your primary OBGYN 
  • Enhanced safety and satisfaction
  • Evaluation and management of pregnancy-related concerns and labor, as well as treating postpartum-related issues in the first few weeks after delivery

During visits with our OBGYN emergency care team, we’ll use a medical screening exam and relevant tests — like fetal heart rate monitoring — to see if you should be admitted to the hospital or are safe to return home. You can trust that we’ll provide prompt and thorough treatment for you and your baby.

Labor + delivery

The place where you give birth should feel like home. We have private and comfortable labor and delivery rooms, designed with comfort, safety and support in mind. We’re always prepared to offer pain management and epidurals as parents welcome their baby into the world. Anesthesia services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

Labor pain management

Some people compare labor to climbing a mountain: long stretches of pain and strain between brief periods of rest and relief. It’s important to remember that pain is subjective, and the amount of pain people feel during labor varies. That’s why we make getting the relief you need as easy as 1, 2, 3.

Once you decide on a level, you can adjust your pain management throughout your labor. As always, your doctor or registered nurse is there to answer any questions.

Level 1: Comfort measures

We offer these these comfort-boosting methods to ease labor pains and help you relax:

  • Birthing ball
  • Deep breathing
  • Massage 
  • Rocking chair 
  • Shower or jacuzzi bath
  • Walking
  • Warm packs

We also offer nitrous oxide to help you stay calm and manage pain. Nitrous oxide is delivered through a face mask. It’s safe, effective and starts working faster than an epidural. Rest assured, inhaling nitrous oxide won’t affect your baby.

Level 2: Analgesics 

Analgesics are strong medicines that rapidly reduce pain for a limited time. Your doctor may directly inject analgesics into your muscle or through an IV.

Analgesics often make people feel “fuzzy.” While some people find that these medications help them relax, others prefer to avoid this fuzzy feeling. Analgesics are a good option for people who are unsure about what type of pain relief they need.

Level 3: Epidural anesthesia 

With epidural anesthesia, an anesthesiologist inserts a soft, narrow plastic tube called a catheter into an area covering the lower back and spine. Pain medicine continuously passes through this tube to reduce the labor pains for an extended time.

You’ll be fully awake, and your legs may feel warm and tingly. Before you can have an epidural, we’ll need about 45 minutes to run lab tests and ensure that:

  • Your platelets aren't low, which would increase the risk of serious bleeding
  • You don't have any prior conditions (including anatomical) 
Special care nursery

Our special care nursery lets you stay close to your baby and near your family support system, while your newborn receives highly specialized care. Some babies start out in a Level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and are moved to our special care nursery as they grow and develop. There are 4 levels of care:

  1. Normal nursery
  2. Special care nursery allowing support and oxygen, but not maintaining respirators
  3. Full NICU
  4. A regional center or NICU that does extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and other advanced interventions

You and your baby also have access to services provided by:

  • Lactation consultants
  • Physical therapists
  • Respiratory therapists
  • Social workers
Breastfeeding support

There are many benefits to breastfeeding — your baby gets high-quality nutrition, and you’re able to bond with your newborn through skin-to-skin contact. Breastfeeding is a learned skill that takes some time to perfect.

New parents may find it helpful to work with a lactation consultant — a health professional specially trained to address all of your breastfeeding questions and concerns. 

Helpful resources for new + experienced parents

Whether you’re a first-time parent or adding to your family, there’s always something new to learn about parenthood. That’s why our nurses and support staff work with you and your family to help you pick up new skills and knowledge.

Our credentialed educators cover many important topics, including:

  • Baby care basics
  • Breastfeeding
  • Childbirth education
  • CPR and first aid

Even after you take your child home, we’re here for you. A registered nurse is available to provide round-the-clock telephone support every day of the year. You can have a home visit by a nurse within 48 hours after you leave the hospital. During the visit, the nurse will make sure that you and the baby are healthy and can answer any questions.

Anasuya Gunturi MD, PhD talks with patient at Lowell General Hospital's Women's Wellness Center clinic appointment.
Our locations

From regular office visits to inpatient stays, find the healthcare you need and deserve close to home.

Family physician Sarwada Tuladhar Jha, MD talking to patient during exam at a clinic appointment and inputting health information at the computer.
Our doctors + care team

Meet the doctors and care team devoted to supporting you every step of the way along your path to better health.

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