Obstetrics

During your pregnancy, physical changes, health concerns and the knowledge that you will be responsible for a new life can be stressful to expectant parents. Building a close relationship with your physician throughout pregnancy helps establish continuity of care to ensure your pregnancy goes as smoothly as possible. Our team of outstanding physicians and nurse practitioners offer supportive, top-quality medical care to help you navigate the process from the preconception planning through the postpartum period.

Services Provided During Pregnancy:

Birth Classes

• Amma Parenting Classes
• Pregnancy and Birth Classes, Groups and Tours – North Memorial Health

Laboratory Testing

There are several routine tests done early in pregnancy, including a CBC, blood type and Rh factor, urine culture, Rubella, hepatitis B and hepatitis C, HIV, syphilis and other STIs like chlamydia and gonorrhea. The tests done later in pregnancy include glucose screening for gestational diabetes and group B streptococcus screening.

Genetic screening and counseling

Prenatal genetic screening tests are optional and offered to all patients, regardless of age or risk factors. These tests screen for aneuploidy, defects of the brain and spine called neural tube defects, and some other anatomic defects. There are various screening tests including cell-free DNA testing, first-trimester screening, and second-trimester screening. If a screening test comes back positive, referral to a genetic counselor and Maternal Fetal Medicine physician is made. Diagnostic tests like CVS or amniocentesis can then be done to give a more definite result.

Nutrition in Pregnancy

Good nutrition helps maintain a health pregnancy. Approximately 300 extra calories are needed each day. Certain vitamins and minerals like folic acid, vitamin D, choline, iron, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin C, calcium and B vitamins are essential for your growing baby.

Fish Consumption

Fish has high levels of omega-3 fatty acids which are essential for pregnancy, so it is recommended to eat 2-3 servings of fish or shellfish per week. There are some types of fish that have higher levels of mercury than others, such as marlin, swordfish, tilefish, shark and bigeye tuna, so those should be avoided during pregnancy.

Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy

Often called “morning sickness,” nausea and vomiting is a common condition during pregnancy and usually starts before 9 weeks gestation. It can affect your life by limiting your ability to go about daily activities. For many women, it resolves by the early second trimester but for some women, it can last for weeks or months. Sometimes lifestyle changes like eating small, frequent meals, eating bland foods, and taking ginger can help. There are safe management options as well like vitamin B6, doxylamine, and prescription antiemetic medications that can be used if symptoms don’t improve.

OB Ultrasound

During pregnancy, ultrasound is used to view the fetus inside the uterus. Ultrasound is used to check the fetus’s health and development, monitor your pregnancy, and detect congenital anomalies. A first trimester ultrasound helps estimate gestational age, count the number of fetuses, and check the heart rate. A second or third trimester ultrasound gives a more detailed view of fetal anatomy, estimated size/weight, the location of the placenta, and the amniotic fluid in the uterus.

Monitoring Fetal Well-Being

Special testing may be done during pregnancy if there is a high-risk condition or increased risk of pregnancy complications. These tests could include nonstress test, biophysical profile, contraction stress test, and doppler ultrasound of the umbilical artery.

Exercise

It is safe to continue regular physical activity or exercise if you are healthy and your pregnancy is uncomplicated. There is no increased risk of miscarriage, low birth weight, or preterm delivery with exercise in pregnancy. In general, we recommend avoiding any exercise with high risk of injury, like contact sports or activities that may result in falling like horseback riding, surfing, and downhill skiing. Walking, stationary biking, and yoga are excellent examples of safe exercise during pregnancy.

Breastfeeding

We encourage women to breastfeed and support each woman’s right to breastfeed. Discussion surrounding breastfeeding starts during prenatal visits and support for lactation is provided through the birth and postpartum journey. There are many benefits to breastfeeding, for both women and babies, and ACOG recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, with continued breastfeeding along with complementary foods for the first year of life or longer. The nutrients and antibodies in breast milk help babies fight illnesses and infections, and infants who are breastfed show lower rates of asthma, obesity, and SIDS.

Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy

We partner with iHealth Pelvic Health Therapy to provide the resources you need. For more information, visit iHealth Pelvic Health Therapy.

Smoking during pregnancy

This affects you and your baby’s health before, during and after your baby is born. The nicotine (the addictive substance in cigarettes), carbon monoxide and numerous other poisons you inhale from a cigarette are carried through your bloodstream and go directly to your baby. Smoking while pregnant will lower the amount of oxygen available to you and your growing baby; increase your baby’s heart rate; increase the chances of miscarriage and stillbirth; increase the risk that your baby is born prematurely and/or born with low birth weight; and increase your baby’s risk of developing respiratory problems. The more cigarettes you smoke per day, the greater your baby’s chances of developing these and other health problems. There is no “safe” level of smoking for your baby’s health.

Morning sickness

More than half of all pregnant women experience morning sickness. Morning sickness is the nauseated feeling you get during pregnancy. Morning sickness can be, but is not always, accompanied with vomiting. The nausea is often a result of the increased hormones in your body. Many health care providers think morning sickness is a good sign because it means the placenta is developing well.

There are a number of things that you can do to help alleviate your symptoms:

• Eat small meals often
• Drink fluids 1/2 hour before or after a meal, but not with meals
• Drink small amounts of fluids during the day to avoid dehydration
• Eat soda crackers 15 minutes before getting up in the morning
• Avoid foods and smells that increase nausea
• Ask someone else to cook for you and open the windows or turn on fans if the odor bothers you
• Get plenty of rest and nap during the day
• Avoid warm places (feeling hot adds to nausea)
• Sniff lemons or ginger, drink lemonade, or eat watermelon to relieve nausea
• Eat salty potato chips (they have been found to settle stomachs enough to eat a meal)
• Exercise

Anxiety or depression

o Mental health disorders like anxiety or depression are common during pregnancy and postpartum, affecting at least 1 in 5 women. Untreated depression can be harmful to pregnant women and their babies. There are several treatment options for anxiety and depression while pregnant and breastfeeding, including medication and therapy.

• Postpartum Support International →
• National Maternal Mental Health Hotline →
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline →

Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs during pregnancy

Women should not use tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, or illegal drugs during pregnancy. The chemicals and toxins that you ingest can pass to the fetus and cause organ damage due to less oxygen and nutrients. Counseling and treatment options are available if you have a hard time quitting any of these substances on your own.

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Obstetrics, Gynecology and Infertility was established in 1972. Over the years, we have grown to ten physicians and eight nurse practitioners.

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Patient Testimonials

“OGI has played a huge role in helping to start our family. We are so blessed to have worked with Dr. Ellingson to bring our precious babe into the world. We cannot thank her or her staff enough. We highly recommend giving OGI a try if you are in need of fertility assistance, you will not be disappointed!”

Emily

“Dr. Zhang is the perfect doctor for me. She is incredibly kind, a compassionate and attentive listener, and very knowledgeable. She was my OBGYN for my first pregnancy, and I will definitely choose her again if I have a second child. I am very thankful to have her as my doctor during such pivotal moments in my life!”

Lisa