Obstetrics

If you are having a baby soon, or you are hoping to have one in the near future, the expert obstetrics doctors at WakeMed OB-GYN can guide you every step of the way. We provide a full range of services that include prenatal counseling, infertility treatment, and delivering babies, and also offer advanced care for both low- and high-risk pregnancies.

We provide inpatient and outpatient care at WakeMed Health & Hospitals, where we perform surgeries and deliveries. WakeMed Raleigh Campus is a tertiary care referral center and has a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, which offers extraordinary care for critically ill newborns. Our Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is the most experienced and technologically advanced in Wake County, and WakeMed Cary Hospital and WakeMed North both have Special Care Nurseries, which provides Level III care for babies needing short-term intensive care.

¿Habla Español? Spanish OB Care Companion  

What is Obstetrics?

This surgical specialty focuses on the care of women during pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period. The term derives from the Latin word for "to stand by."

An obstetrics doctor, or obstetrician, often is trained in gynecology as well, and the shorthand expression for the profession is OB/GYN. After completing medical school, they train for several more years, completing an OB-GYN residency program that covers preconception health, pregnancy, labor and childbirth, postpartum care, genetics, genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis.

How Does Nutrition and Exercise Support Pregnancy?

Good nutrition is crucial for everyone, but it's especially critical during pregnancy. Your obstetrician may make recommendations on diet and/or exercise for you to follow during pregnancy. IT's important for pregnant women to make sure they have the adequate vitamins, minerals and calories to ensure a healthy, thriving baby, and that they maintain the correct weight to ensure they are healthy, energetic moms, as well.

What Pregnancy Check-Ups Will I Need?

Your pregnancy is divided into trimesters, which are roughly three-month periods with various developmental stages expected for the baby. Generally, you can plan to visit your obstetrics doctor monthly for about seven months. This allows your doctor to track the baby's movement and growth, and keep a check on your blood pressure and other vital signs.

In the last 8-10 weeks before delivery, you will visit the doctor more frequently, as much as once a week as your due date nears.

When Should I Have an Ultrasound or Other Tests?

Ultrasounds may be performed at any point during pregnancy. These tests, which use high-frequency sound waves to scan a woman's abdomen and cavity area, are used to confirm fetal heartbeat and normal growth and development, and also are used to diagnosis potential problems or complications. Not all women will have ultrasounds; this will be decided by you and your physician.

Many other screenings and tests are available to help assess potential congenital problems, such as fetal screening and genetic counseling. Amniocentesis and other tests can be performed to check for Down Syndrome or other chromosome abnormalities.

Whatever your obstetrics needs, whether related to family planning, pregnancy or special needs during your pregnancy, the obstetrics doctors at WakeMed OB-GYN offer expertise and advanced care at their offices in North Raleigh.