obstetrics
Normal Pregnancy
Thank you for choosing Charleston Ob/Gyn during one of the most exciting and important times of your life. Every birth is a special event, and we’re committed to providing you with the highest level of safe, competent, and personalized care to assure the health of you and your baby.
Charleston Ob/Gyn provides complete obstetrical care that includes prenatal visits, the delivery and a postpartum evaluation. For your convenience, prenatal labs and routine ultrasounds are performed in the office.
We proudly deliver babies in the Roper St. Francis Hospital System, which offers private labor, delivery, and recovery rooms and an excellent Level II nursery.
A Pregnancy Overview
The first trimester of your pregnancy is 0 to 14 weeks, or the first three months. Your first pre-natal visit will be around 6-8 weeks. During this visit, you will have a pelvic exam and an ultrasound. We will discuss any further testing that is relevant to you and your pregnancy as well as draw pre-natal labs.
Pregnancy side effects may include:
- Fatigue
- Tenderness of the breasts
- Increased urination
- Nausea or morning sickness
- Constipation
- Mood swings
- Vaginal discharge
- Vaginal bleeding
The second stage of your pregnancy includes weeks 14 to 28 weeks, and this is when women begin to “look pregnant.” It is between 20 and 22 weeks that you will begin to feel your baby move. During this time, you will have your second trimester anatomy ultrasound, which is scheduled between 19 and 21 weeks. It is at this time that we evaluate the anatomy of your baby and can determine its gender, if desired. Between 24 and 28 weeks you will be screened for diabetes. This is also the time to discuss work policies with an employer, begin considering child care plans, start looking for a pediatrician, and register for classes and a tour of the hospital.
Side effects may include:
- Breast changes
- Leg cramps
- Back pain
- Stretch marks
- Nose bleeds
- Constipation
- Carpel Tunnel Syndrome
- Round ligament pain
The third and final stage of your pregnancy includes week 28 until birth. During this time, your visits will become more frequent. Pelvic exams begin at 35 weeks and you will start coming weekly at this time.
Side effects may include:
- Braxton Hicks Contractions
- Fatigue
- Back pain
- Pelvic/hip pain
- Constipation
- Heartburn
- Difficulty sleeping
- Trouble breathing
- Frequent urination
- Headache unrelieved by Tylenol accompanied by blurred or spotty vision, increased swelling of face, hands or feet
- Temperature of 100.5 or greater unrelieved by Tylenol
- Decreased fetal movement after 28 weeks. Assess fetal kick counts as follows – Drink something sweet, lay on your left side for 2 hours, call if less than 10 kicks in 2 hours
- Signs of bladder infection such as burning when you urinate or increased temperature
- Large gush of fluid (clear) from vagina
- Cramping with bright red bleeding. (Recent intercourse or pelvic exam may cause light spotting.)
IF ANY OF THESE THINGS HAPPEN, CALL OUR OFFICE IMMEDIATELY AT 843-740-6700. If you need to leave a message with the after-hours answering service, remember to:
- Be readily available for a return call, as the doctor typically calls you back quickly.
- Make sure your phone can accept blocked phone numbers.
- If you miss the return phone call, please call back through the answering service.
- If you have not received a call back within 30 minutes, call the answering service again.
High-Risk Pregnancy
Some examples of high-risk pregnancies include gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, chronic hypertension, hyperthyroidism, hyperemesis, advanced maternal age, and other conditions. We are well equipped to manage these medical conditions. We also work in conjunction with the Maternal Fetal Medicine doctors for added consultation if needed.
Labor & Delivery
We deliver solely in the Roper St. Francis Hospital system, which is conveniently located a mile from our West Ashley office. The hospital system also has a Laborist Program which offers an in-house obstetrician 24 hours a day and 7 days a week that is available to cover any emergency.
It is best for your baby to have a vaginal delivery when medically safe. The decision to electively induce your labor is primarily based on your medical conditions and will be discussed between you and your physician. Although there are times when a Cesarean section is necessary, we are proud that our C-section rate is below the national average.
The childbirth classes offered by our hospital are taught by the Labor & Delivery nurses and are highly informative. We encourage you to attend these classes, especially if this is your first delivery.
We encourage skin-to-skin contact directly after vaginal or C-section birth, which improves breast feeding success and bonding with the baby. There are lactation consultants available to you at the hospital to ensure breast feeding success.
Postpartum Care
Most people stay in the hospital 1 to 2 days after a vaginal birth and 2 to 3 days after a C-section. Six weeks after delivery you will have a full physical exam at our office and birth control will be discussed. If you have had a C-section or a high-risk condition, you may be seen more frequently. Postpartum blues and Postpartum depression are not uncommon occurrences. If you are feeling symptoms of sadness or hopelessness, we encourage you to let us know right away. There are many ways we may be able to help.
