With her four-year-old daughter Lily in tow, April Baldonando attends her 21-week checkup at the St. Albert maternity clinic.
This is her third pregnancy under the watchful eyes of the nurses and doctors of the St. Albert and Sturgeon Primary Care Network's maternity team.
The clinic recently moved from the Sturgeon Community Hospital to the PCN office in Grandin, following several months of renovations this spring.
The new space has also accompanied a merger with the Dickensfield maternity clinic in north Edmonton. Eight primary maternity care doctors are now based out of the St. Albert PCN.
Baldonando first came to the maternity clinic because her family doctor doesn't deliver babies.
"Most family doctors don't deliver babies anymore," said Christine Toner, a maternity nurse at the clinic.
"Having this group of doctors – who are still family doctors, but are delivering babies – helps offset the population that obstetricians just can't manage."
There are currently four obstetricians practicing at the Sturgeon Hospital.
It's more difficult to find an obstetrician and they have longer wait times, noted Dr. Marielle Pratt, a maternity clinic physician.
"Generally speaking, if you're going to see an obstetrician you probably wouldn't start seeing them until 28 or 30 weeks. You would see your family doctor or Medicentre leading up to that."
Clinic doctors typically start seeing expectant moms around the 12th week of pregnancy.
They are either referred by their family doctors, walk-in clinic or they can refer themselves.
"Lots of people don't have family doctors … and we don't want to leave people stranded without prenatal care," said Pratt.
Team care
Once on the patient roster, moms-to-be have their choice between doctors from the pink group or the blue group.
The pink group has five female doctors while the blue group has four female doctors and one male doctor.
For their checkups, expectant moms can make an appointment with any physician in their group. This way they can meet all the doctors before their baby comes, said Toner. One of the doctors in the group will be on call for delivery.
Seeing a familiar face also improves continuity of care, she added.
Expectant moms come for follow-ups every four weeks until 28 weeks pregnancy, then every two weeks until 36 weeks pregnancy, and then every week until delivery.
Follow ups are booked in 10 minute time slots, and 20 minutes for new moms.
After the baby is born, patients currently follow up with baby care and postpartum care with their family physicians.
Starting in September, the clinic hopes to offer postpartum care for mothers up to six weeks after birth.
"Right now our clinic is full, full to the rafters," said Toner.
Clinic staff estimate 130 to 140 patient visits are booked per week.
Low-risk pregnancies only
The clinic provides maternity care for low risk pregnancies. High risk pregnancies include women with pre-existing diabetes, pre-existing high blood pressure, high BMI and no vaginal birth after a caesarean delivery.
Clinic doctors can provide referral to an obstetrician if complications arise during pregnancy, labour or delivery.
The maternity clinic is open from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and 9 a.m to 12 p.m. on Fridays.
