Being a woman brings unique opportunities and challenges. One of those challenges is staying healthy, and that's where MultiCare Yakima Memorial can help. Every woman has distinct needs that change as the years go by. That's why we offer a broad spectrum of services to care for you in every stage of life.
Women's health services
- MultiCare Yakima Memorial's Family Birthplace: services for the mother-to-be and new moms.
- Community education, classes, events and support groups.
- Genetics counseling.
- Maternal health services.
- Breast Health: 'Ohana, Memorial's Mammography Center.
Maternal Health Services
The first baby was delivered at MultiCare Yakima Memorial in 1950, the year the hospital opened. Since then, MultiCare Yakima Memorial has developed one of the most comprehensive and sophisticated maternity care programs in Washington.
For decades, MultiCare Yakima Memorial has been the hospital Yakima's families have continued to trust to bring new life into the world. In the last decade the hospital has delivered more than 28,000 babies. From joyfully welcoming new arrivals from the beginning of pregnancy through labor and delivery, and all the parenting and growing stages along the way, our team will help fathers- and mothers-to-be plan and look forward to the special time of childbirth.
As one of the four perinatal centers in our state, we have a team of specialists nearby should there be any complications with mother or baby. Being designated as one of four perinatal centers in the state means that MultiCare Yakima Memorial's Family Birthplace also offers specialty care for at-risk infants.
Nurses estimate more than a third of the babies that are treated in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) were born to parents who expected a healthy delivery and did not anticipate that they might need extra care and skilled nursing. The fact that a neonatologist is just a floor away puts delivering mothers at ease.
MultiCare Yakima Memorial's Family Birthplace looks forward to helping families welcome their new little ones into the world.
Prenatal programs and services:
- Family planning.
- Genetic counseling.
- Childbirth education.
- Preregistration and childbirth planning.
- Lactation consultants.
Labor, delivery and postpartum:
- Private birthing suites.
- NICU.
Resolve Through Sharing
Since 1998, The Family Birthplace has provided the Resolve Through Sharing (RTS) Program. RTS is a comprehensive service for families experiencing miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth and neonatal death. RTS works in collaboration with area funeral homes and Calvary Cemetery to provide both burial and cremation services. We also have a communal burial twice a year at Terrace Heights Memorial Park for babies under 20 weeks gestation who are born with no signs of life. Extended family is welcome to join us at the communal burial. This ceremony provides closure for anyone who has experienced a pregnancy loss, no matter when or where it occurred.
For more information, contact Vivian Loudon, Nurse Manager, at 509-574-5867.
Family Birthplace virtual tour
Postpartum pre-eclampsia
You are still at risk. Seek help immediately!
Postpartum pre-eclampsia is a serious disease related to high blood pressure. It can happen to any woman up to 6 weeks after delivery. If you were given a blue wrist band or medical card during your pregnancy—or after you delivered—you are at higher risk for postpartum pre-eclampsia.
Risks to you:
- Seizure.
- Stroke.
- Organ damage.
- Death.
Warning signs of postpartum pre-eclampsia:
- Stomach pain.
- Feeling nauseous; throwing up.
- Swelling in your hands and face.
- Headaches.
- Seeing spots.
- Shortness of breath.
- Follow-up with your doctor within 2 to 5 days for a blood pressure check.
- Keep all follow-up doctor appointments.
- Go directly to the emergency room and report you have been recently pregnant.
18% of the deaths related to pregnancy in 2015–2016 resulted from seizures due to pre-eclampsia, but it is preventable! Yakima County hospitals are working together to raise awareness and treat pre-eclampsia as soon as it is identified. If you have any symptoms, call your physician immediately or go to the Emergency Room and tell them you were recently pregnant.
Call your OB provider if your blood pressure is more than 150/100 (if either number is high).
Go to the Emergency Department if your blood pressure is more than 160/110 (if either number is high) and tell them that you have recently had a baby. Your blood pressure needs to be treated right away.
For providers
Prenatal screening guide for physicians
This decision making guide will help providers navigate options available for prenatal screening that will be most appropriate for their patients. The screening options provided are blood tests that present low risk for both mother and fetus. All screening tests are completely optional for the patient, but screening may allow for more informed decision making and preparation for the arrival of their baby.
Please feel free to direct your low risk patients to the prenatal screening information here.
The Central Washington Genetics Program suggests you think of your patients as in one of two categories: Low risk or High risk. Routine patients are low risk and below is suggested scripting for you to use in counseling those patients and arranging screening, if they wish to proceed, in your clinic. A patient with a concern of any kind: abnormal ultrasound, positive result on screening, family history of something, previous pregnancy/child with something, etc., should be considered high risk and referred to genetics to assure appropriate risk assessment and testing.
In any pregnancy, there is a 3-5% risk for some type of birth defect. At this point, we don't have information to believe you are higher risk than that, so we would like to offer you routine screening.
Screening means to look for certain birth defects that can happen to anyone. We don't feel there is a high risk for any of these in you, but it is routine to offer screening. It is your choice to have a screening test or not.
These screening tests that look for birth defects are blood tests. We will explain about some of them, but if you feel you have a high risk for a child with birth defects, or wish more detailed information, we can refer you to Prenatal Genetics where it is their job to explain all your choices and answer your questions to help you make the best decision. It is always your choice which test, if any, to have.
The reason to have prenatal screening tests is to provide you with more information. Negative results may be reassuring to you. Positive results may allow you to prepare for a child with special needs and they allow your doctor to develop the best plan for following you during the pregnancy or making special arrangements at the time of delivery.
If you are a "low risk" patient, with no special concerns or family history of concern, it is most likely your provider can do one of the following tests. If however, you are "high risk", which just means there is something different about your personal or family history, then it is best to seek genetic counseling to assure you have complete and correct information about the concern and all of your options. Screening tests for low risk women are listed below:
The easiest screening for low risk women is serum integrated screening. This involves two blood tests done here at the clinic to estimate the risk for Down syndrome, trisomy 18 and spina bifida.
A new screening, cell free DNA analysis, was developed for high risk women. It is better at looking for chromosome abnormalities, but since you are not high risk we don't know if your insurance will pay. It is just one blood draw and can be done here at the clinic, but then you would need another blood draw to look for spina bifida.
The easiest screening for low risk women is quad screening. This involves a single blood draw done here at the clinic to estimate risk for Down syndrome, trisomy 18 and open neural tube defects.
A new screening, cell free DNA analysis, was developed for high risk women. It is better at looking for chromosome abnormalities, but since you are not high risk we don't know if your insurance will pay. It is just one blood draw and can be done here at the clinic, but then you would need another blood draw to look for spina bifida.
In any pregnancy, there is a 3-5% risk for some type of birth defect. At this point, we know you are at a higher risk than that, so we would like to offer you specialized screening.
Screening means to look for certain birth defects that can happen to anyone. You are at a higher risk than average to have a child with a chromosomal abnormality due to your age.
Screening tests that look for birth defects are blood tests. We will explain about some of them, but if you wish to have more detailed information, we can refer you to prenatal genetics where it is their job to explain all of your choices and answer your questions to help you make the best decision. It is always your choice which test, if any, to have.
The reason to do prenatal screening tests is to provide you with more information. Negative results may be reassuring to you. Positive results may allow you to prepare for a child with special needs, and they allow your doctor to develop the best plan for following you during the pregnancy or making special arrangements at the time of delivery.
The best screening for women at risk for fetal chromosome problems (like Down syndrome) is cell free DNA analysis. It is just one blood draw and can be done here at the clinic.
We would then offer you a second blood test, also done here at the clinic, to estimate the risk for spina bifida. Spina bifida is when the baby's back does not form correctly.
If your result on either one of these is positive, we will refer you to genetics for further discussion and information.
In any pregnancy, there is a 3-5% risk for some type of birth defect.
Screening means to look for certain birth defects that can happen to anyone. You may be at a higher risk than average to have a child with birth defects because of your history.
Because you may be at a higher risk, we are going to refer you to prenatal genetics where it is their job to determine if you are at high risk and to explain all of your choices and answer your questions to help you make the best decision. It is your choice which test, if any, to have.
The reason to do prenatal screening tests is to provide you with more information. Negative results may be reassuring to you. Positive results may allow you to prepare for a child with special needs, and they allow your doctor to develop the best plan for following you during the pregnancy or making special arrangements at the time of delivery.
Reviewed 12/15/2022
Pregnancy: How baby develops
MONTH 1
The heart and lungs begin to form. Your baby is just a tiny embryo at this stage.
MONTH 2
All the baby's major body organs are beginning to develop. The ears, fingers and toes are also beginning to form.
At the six-week mark, you may be able to hear the baby's heartbeat during an ultrasound. By the end of the second month, the baby is about an inch long.
MONTH 3
Soft nails are beginning to form on the fingers and toes. Tiny buds have appeared that will later become baby teeth.
By the end of this month, the baby is about 3 inches long and weighs about an ounce.
MONTH 4
The baby moves, kicks, swallows and can hear.
By the end of the fourth month, the baby is around 6 inches long and weighs about 4 ounces.
MONTH 5
The baby now sleeps and wakes at regular intervals, and his or her skin is covered with fine, soft hair.
At the end of this month, the baby is about 10 inches long and weighs around 1 pound.
MONTH 6
At this stage, the lungs still aren't ready for life outside the womb.
By the end of the sixth month, the baby is about 12 inches long.
MONTH 7
Responsive to light and sound, the baby can now open and close his or her eyes. Moms may notice a lot of activity in the womb as the baby kicks and stretches.
MONTH 8
Your baby is gaining weight rapidly.
By the end of the eighth month, the baby is about 14 to 18 inches long and weighs around 4 to 5 pounds.
MONTH 9
Halfway through the month your baby will be full-term. To get ready for birth, the baby will usually turn head down and move down into the pelvic area.
HOW WILL YOU KNOW YOU'RE IN LABOR?
Sources: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; American Pregnancy Association; Office on Women's Health