Birthing Center
The best experiences are born here at WVU Medicine Golisano Children’s
Contact: 1-855-WVU-CARE ext (92273)
WVU Medicine provides high-quality, family-centered maternity care to meet the individual needs of all pregnant women – from routine obstetrical care to treatments for mothers and babies facing high-risk and difficult situations. Our Women’s Health and Maternity professionals work to ensure that you receive expert care delivered with thoughtful attention throughout all stages of your journey.
General Obstetrics
The birth of a child is a memorable event, and we are proud to be able to share this time with you and your family. We are committed to making you feel comfortable, informed, and prepared throughout your pregnancy.
Depending on your individual needs, your healthcare team can include doctors, certified nurse midwives, medical students, nurse practitioners, nurses, nursing students, physician assistants, and ultrasonographers. These are your healthcare providers. Your team can also include social workers, financial counselors, and specialists.
Resources, Classes, and Clinics
Our comfortable, family-centered birthing center and satellite locations offer many options, and our providers and staff are highly skilled in caring for you during labor, delivery, and postpartum, and for your newborn baby.
Certified lactation consultants provide support for new mothers who choose to breastfeed. Our goal is to maximize nursing comfort and success for both mom and baby. Visit the our Specialized Clinics page for more information.
In addition to breastfeeding education, childbirth and family classes are available.
Birthing Center Facility
The Birthing Center features a spa-like atmosphere; 17 labor and delivery rooms (seven with labor tubs); in-unit operating rooms for cesarean deliveries; and large inpatient rooms to allow mothers to stay with their newborns.
Emotions run high during the birth of a baby, and that can lead to feelings of stress, fear, and anxiety. When we designed our new Birthing Center, we wanted to create a calming environment, where mothers-to-be can find comfort knowing they are receiving the care and support they need in a soothing atmosphere.
Fewer places are more calming than spas, which were our inspiration for everything from our room layout to our color scheme. We hope that the Birthing Center ultimately gives our patients a sense of security so they can focus on what is most important – the safe birth of their babies.
Upon arrival on the eighth floor, patients step out into the Center’s lobby area including the front desk, waiting area, and family lounge. Of its 30 obstetrics rooms, seven have a labor tub. The Center includes its own operating rooms for cesarean sections, and private in-patient rooms large enough to allow babies to stay in the same room as their mothers. It also includes an infant evaluation area and newborn nursery.
We look at the entire birth process – from the moment a patient arrives to the time she leaves with her new baby – not only from a medical standpoint but in terms of patient and family comfort. We want to be able to deliver high quality, family-centered care in a space that best meets the needs of laboring women and new mothers. The birth of a child is a memorable event, and we are proud to be able to share this time with our patients and their families.
Midwifery Services
WVU Medicine midwives provide quality healthcare to women, offering guidance in developing healthy lifestyles for teenagers and women of childbearing age.
Nurse midwives are probably best known for providing prenatal care and support during childbirth. We help women develop birth plans and make decisions about pain management during labor.
WVU’s midwives are also trained to identify unexpected emergency situations during childbirth. The midwife group works in partnership with our obstetrics and gynecology physicians.
Our midwives are also a skilled team in primary gynecologic care, and we offer midwifery services in multiple locations, listed below.
Our midwives are also a skilled team in primary gynecologic care, and we offer midwifery services in multiple locations, listed below.
Additionally, we teach patients about birth control options and prescribe medications, including the placement of IUDs or subdermal birth control devices. We also provide preconception and fertility counseling.
All of WVU Medicine’s midwives are registered nurses who have successfully completed an accredited midwife graduate education program and have passed a national certification exam that the American College of Nurse-Midwives administers.
Midwifery Q&A
What is a midwife?
Certified nurse midwives are licensed healthcare providers who support women with lifelong gynecologic and obstetric care. As maternity caregivers, their goal is to help each mother have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. Midwives also provide routine healthcare, including perimenopausal services for mature women, referring our patients to other specialists as needed.
What is special about WVU Medicine’s midwives?
Our services are patient-oriented and family-centered. Our midwives work with each mother and her partner to make their childbirth experience what they want it to be.
WVU’s nurse midwives are committed to preparing and educating women for what to expect in pregnancy and birth. We counsel our patients regarding prenatal health, such as eating a balanced diet and taking vitamin supplements. Prenatal visits include assessing appropriate maternal weight gain, blood pressure, and vital signs. We also screen for risk factors by taking a complete personal and genetic history.
How do midwives handle a high-risk pregnancy?
A high-risk pregnancy must be monitored closely. We order testing and screening for complications of pregnancy, such as gestational diabetes. Once we identify a high-risk pregnancy, the nurse-midwife group may schedule a referral to a specialist. We consult with maternal-fetal medicine doctors, geneticists, social workers, or other specialists as needed. These services are readily accessible to our patients here at the various WVU medical office sites and at Ruby Memorial Hospital.
Are WVU’s midwife services covered by insurance?
Yes. Our midwife services are covered by most private insurances. Our office staff can help you determine if your insurance covers midwifery services.