Specialties & Services

Prenatal Care

Pregnancy is one of the most memorable experiences of your life. You’ll receive compassionate prenatal care from a highly skilled team. We take the time to hear your concerns, answer questions, and help you feel informed and confident during this special time.

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Why choose us for pregnancy care?

BJC HealthCare works with WashU Medicine physicians, BJC Medical Group, and providers across the region to deliver extraordinary care. Helping you have a safe, healthy pregnancy is our top priority. At BJC HealthCare, you’ll find dedicated OB-GYNs and midwives who guide you through every aspect of prenatal care.

We offer:

  • Compassionate care: Pregnancy is a joyful time, but it can also be overwhelming. You likely have a lot of questions and concerns. We take the time to help you feel prepared, informed, and confident about your pregnancy so that you can focus on the road ahead. 
  • Highly skilled OB-GYN doctors: Our team includes board-certified and fellowship-trained obstetrician-gynecologists and high-risk pregnancy doctors. They have the depth and breadth of expertise to care for you and your unborn baby, even if you have complex medical concerns.
  • Specialized diagnostic expertise: We have a team of highly trained ultrasound and genetics specialists dedicated exclusively to providing prenatal obstetric and gynecological evaluations and prenatal genetic diagnosis. They meet or exceed national standards for knowledge, experience, and skills in providing high-quality care for you and your baby.
  • Personalized care: Your provider will work with you to help you plan your birth experience, offering various birthing options and options for managing pain, all while keeping you safe.
  • Comfortable childbirth centers: No matter which childbirth center you select, you’ll experience the highest level of care before, during, and after your child’s birth. Each Center features spacious, private birthing suites, accommodations for an overnight guest, in-room dining options, and other services and amenities to help you feel at home.

What is prenatal care?

Before getting pregnant, you may have added some good health habits to get ready for your baby. But if you didn’t, start today. One of the first steps is learning how to take care of yourself. See your healthcare provider as soon as you think you may be pregnant. Then continue prenatal care during your pregnancy.

Pregnant woman in exam room talking to healthcare provider.

Prenatal care helps you have a healthy baby

During prenatal care:

  • Your healthcare provider checks the health of your pregnancy. They'll calculate a due date. This gives an estimate of your baby's delivery. Many people give birth between 38 and 41 weeks of pregnancy. Your due date is found by counting 40 weeks from the first day of your last menstrual period.
  • Your pregnancy's progress is checked. This includes your baby’s growth, fetal heart rate, changes in your weight and blood pressure, and your overall health and comfort.
  • Your provider may find new concerns and manage current ones before problems happen.
  • Your provider will check lab work through blood and urine.
  • Your provider will talk about normal changes that happen during pregnancy. They'll also talk about changes that may not be normal. And they'll advise you about lifestyle changes.
  • Your provider will answer your questions. They'll also help you get ready for labor and delivery.

You're part of a team

When you’re pregnant, you’re part of a team. This team includes you, your baby, and your provider. It also may include a partner or a main support person. That could be a loved one, such as a spouse, a family member, or a friend. As you work to give your baby a healthy start, rely on your team members for support.

It’s not too late to start good habits

What matters most is protecting your baby from this moment on. If you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs, now's the time to stop. If you need help, talk with your healthcare provider.

  • Smoking increases the risk of losing your baby. Or of having a low-birth-weight baby. If you smoke, quit now.
  • Alcohol and drugs have been linked with many problems. These include miscarriage, birth defects, intellectual disability, and low birth weight. Stay away from alcohol and drugs.
  • Eat a healthy diet. This helps keep you and your baby strong and healthy. Follow your provider's instructions for nutrition. Also stay within the guidelines you're given for healthy weight gain.
  • Take 400 micrograms to 800 micrograms (400 mcg to 800 mcg or 0.4 mg to 0.8 mg) of folic acid every day. Take it for at least 1 month before getting pregnant. And keep taking it for the first trimester of your pregnancy. This is to lower your risk of some brain and spinal birth defects. You can get folic acid from some foods. But it's hard to get all the folic acid you'll need from foods alone. Talk with your provider about taking a folic acid supplement.
  • Regular exercise will help you stay fit and feel good during pregnancy. It can also help prevent or reduce back pain. Talk with your provider about how to exercise safely during pregnancy.
  • If you have a health condition, make sure it's under control. Some conditions include asthma, diabetes, depression, high blood pressure, obesity, thyroid disease, or epilepsy. Be sure your vaccines are up-to-date.

How daily issues affect your health

Many things in your daily life impact your health. This can include transportation, money problems, housing, access to food, and childcare. If you can’t get to medical appointments, you may not receive the care you need. When money is tight, it may be difficult to pay for medicines. And living far from a grocery store can make it hard to buy healthy food.

If you have concerns in any of these or other areas, talk with your healthcare team. They may know of local resources to assist you. Or they may have a staff person who can help.

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Our highly trained team of specialists offer advanced treatments as well as compassionate, personalized care.

Prenatal testing and treatments

Prenatal testing is an essential part of complete pregnancy care. At BJC HealthCare, we’re dedicated to providing the highest quality prenatal tests in a comforting, nurturing environment. From routine prenatal ultrasounds and genetic testing to specialized testing for high-risk pregnancies, we offer guidance and support at every stage of this exciting journey.

Each year, our sonographers, genetic counselors, and obstetricians perform thousands of prenatal tests, such as pregnancy ultrasounds and genetic testing. This experience helps us make safe and accurate evaluations of the most complex pregnancy and fetal conditions.

Common prenatal tests include:

Amniocentesis

 An amniocentesis checks cells from your amniotic fluid (fluid surrounding your baby) for genetic abnormalities.

Chorionic villus sampling (CVS)

 CVS evaluates a tissue sample from your placenta to test for chromosomal or genetic abnormalities.

Genetic screening

 Prenatal screening and diagnostic tests usually involve taking samples of blood, urine, other body fluids, or tissue. The testing helps determine if your baby is at risk for or has genetic disorders or birth defects. Identifying health issues as early as possible helps us make the best possible care plan.

Prenatal ultrasound

 A prenatal ultrasound (also called sonogram) is a painless, noninvasive procedure to evaluate your baby's health, anatomy, and size. Obstetric ultrasounds use high-frequency sound waves to produce an image on a screen of your baby in your uterus.

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