Many of Oaklawn’s Family Physicians Deliver Babies

In the United States, we are fortunate to have options, especially when it comes to having children and who will be involved in the delivery. Let’s take a look at what your choices are when you’re expecting a baby.

Currently, you have three options when it comes to choosing who will help deliver your child:

1. Family physician (who is also qualified to do obstetrics)
2. Obstetrician/gynecologist
3. MidwifeEach plays a vital role in the labor and delivery process, and presents a different set of qualifications.

An OB/GYN is a specialist in women’s health who provides care to both pregnant and non-pregnant women alike, while also holding the proper qualifications to perform surgery. Certified nurse midwives have a background in nursing and care for women during delivery and in the office, but they do not perform surgery.

At Oaklawn Medical Group, we have five family physicians who are also qualified and privileged by the hospital to do obstetrics, meaning that we provide care to pregnant women and also deliver their children. As family physicians, we have completed residency in the full spectrum of care which allows us to see men, women and children of ALL ages, throughout the entire life cycle, in a wide variety of medical settings.

If you choose to go with your family physician, during your pregnancy we will monitor you carefully for any complications. We have all done training in high-risk obstetrics and in most cases can continue to follow you throughout the remainder of your pregnancy and deliver you at Oaklawn Birth Center. Dr. Pence completed additional fellowship training in surgical obstetrics and can perform C sections with my assistance. In addition, we also work closely with Oaklawn OB/GYN’s, Dr. Ebner and Dr. Thomas, as well as the other obstetricians.

What does all of this mean to you? Our group of FP/OB providers share a special interest in women and children because, after all, as doctor moms, that is what we know best. When you select one of us as your physician, we address your needs before, during, and after pregnancy. We also see your newborn in the hospital and watch him or her grow for years to come.

I will soon celebrate the tenth birthday of the first baby I delivered here at Oaklawn. And since then, I have followed her mom for her subsequent pregnancies and welcomed their second and third children. Their dad is also my patient! I speak for all of us when I say that as family physicians, we truly enjoy having the opportunity to grow with our families and be there with them for some of life’s biggest moments. We would love to be a part of yours.