Planning for a Baby

U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals for obstetrics & gynecology

Nationally Ranked in Ob/Gyn

UT Southwestern Medical Center is ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the nation's top hospitals for obstetric and gynecological care.

Deciding to have a baby is one of the most exciting and life-changing choices a woman can make. For this journey, it’s important for women to choose an obstetrician with whom they feel confident and comfortable.

At UT Southwestern, our patients receive high-quality care from experienced physicians who literally wrote the books on Ob/Gyn care – Williams Obstetrics and its companion, Williams Gynecology. Our caring obstetricians guide each woman through every stage of pregnancy, childbirth, and beyond.

Preparing for a Healthy Pregnancy

Women who are planning to have a baby but have not yet conceived can take steps to prepare for a healthy pregnancy:

Attend preconception counseling to address any health issues before they become pregnant
Schedule a pre-pregnancy checkup with an Ob/Gyn to assess their health and establish a baseline
Take prenatal vitamins containing at least 400mg of folic acid
Get regular, low-impact exercise such as walking or yoga
Avoid consuming alcohol
Quit smoking
Limit caffeine intake

See our full pre-pregnancy checklist.

What Are the Risk Factors for High-Risk Pregnancy?

Certain factors can lead to a high-risk pregnancy, such as:

Advanced maternal age (35 or older)
Lifestyle choices, such as tobacco, alcohol, or illicit drug use
Chronic health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, cystic fibrosis, lupus, obesity, breathing problems such as poorly controlled asthma, and blood-clotting disorders
Previous surgeries, including multiple C-sections, multiple abdominal surgeries, or surgery on the uterus, such as uterine fibroid surgery
Pregnancy complications, such as abnormal placenta position, poor fetal growth, or preterm labor
Multiple pregnancy, such as twins, triplets, or more
Fetal anomalies that impact delivery planning or require urgent specialist care

We recommend that high-risk patients attend preconception and prenatal counseling with a maternal-fetal medicine specialist to identify any extra care they might need.

Learn more about high-risk pregnancy.

Pre-Pregnancy and Prenatal Care

Our experienced obstetricians and their teams work closely with each patient every step of the way, beginning with pregnancy planning before conception. We have the experience to address any complications that might develop to help each woman achieve a successful pregnancy and birth.

Our services include:

Prenatal care to increase the chances of having a healthy baby
Prenatal classes at no cost and hospital tours
Fertility treatment, such as in vitro fertilization
Specialized care for women with high-risk pregnancies
Postpartum (after childbirth) care
Lactation services to support breastfeeding

Post-Pregnancy Lactation Support

UT Southwestern is part of the Texas Ten Step Program, which involves a highly supportive, compassionate approach to breastfeeding. Our team at William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital includes International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC) available seven days a week. Our Women’s Resource Center provides ongoing breastfeeding support and education, and access to donor milk.