Labor and Delivery

When it’s time to give birth, you can count on UI Health Care to provide an experience that’s as safe as it is special.

Choosing where to give birth is a big decision.

You want to feel safe, knowing you and your baby are in capable hands. And you want to feel empowered, knowing you have a say in your birth experience.

You’ll find these qualities—and more—when you choose University of Iowa Health Care.

Our labor and delivery team delivers around 3,000 babies every year. With this level of experience, we can manage every type of birth, including:

Natural births that don’t incorporate pain medicine or other medical interventions
Vaginal births with an epidural or other types of pain relief
Vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC)
Planned cesarean births (C-section) and scheduled early deliveries
High-risk deliveries that may be attended by a maternal-fetal medicine specialist and/or a neonatologist

Our approach to labor and delivery

No matter the type of childbirth support you want or need, you’ll find it with UI Health Care. We aim to keep you and your baby healthy while making your labor and delivery experience personalized and positive.

Honoring your birth plan

When you give birth here, you’re more than just our patient. You’re also our partner.

You know your body and its limits better than anyone, and you have the right to make your own birth-related decisions. So, please tell us if you have certain goals and preferences, such as using an epidural or a doula.

As your care team, it’s our responsibility to provide any medical care you and your baby may need during labor and delivery. But another important part of our job is communication and shared decision-making. If we think it’s important to adjust your birth plan for any reason, you’ll be part of that discussion.

Team-based care

Our obstetrics and gynecology team—the largest in Iowa—includes many different specialists. This gives you flexibility in choosing who will provide your pregnancy care and assist you during labor and delivery. It also means you have access to advanced care, should you or your baby need it.

Our team members include:

Obstetricians (OBs) who provide comprehensive prenatal care and oversee vaginal and cesarean births.
Family Medicine physicians who provide pregnancy care, including prenatal, delivery, postpartum, and newborn care, plus breastfeeding support.
Certified nurse midwives who provide prenatal care, assist during labor, and can oversee vaginal births. Our midwives use a holistic approach that allows labor and delivery to progress naturally, with limited medical intervention.
Maternal-fetal medicine specialists (MFMs) who provide advanced care to patients whose pregnancies and/or deliveries are considered high risk.
Neonatologists who take care of babies who need medical treatment immediately after birth. This includes babies born prematurely or with medical conditions.
Anesthesiologists who specialize in providing safe, effective pain relief during labor and delivery.

What to expect

From the moment you go into labor until it’s time to bring your baby home, you’ll receive exceptional care and support.

Labor and delivery

UI Health Care is ready and able to manage any type of birth. This includes deliveries that are known to be high risk and those that are expected to be uncomplicated.

We offer:

Birthing aids: You can manage your labor pain naturally using peanut balls, birthing balls, positioning balls, and more. We also offer labor tubs, aromatherapy, and wireless fetal monitoring.
Pain medicine: If you prefer to ease your pain with medication, you’ll work with one of our OB anesthesiologists. For vaginal deliveries, we offer epidurals, spinal blocks, or combined spinal-epidural blocks.
Surgery: Whether you’re scheduled to have a C-section or unexpectedly need one, you can have confidence in our surgical team. We have obstetric operating rooms, anesthesiology care, and a blood bank available 24/7.

Postpartum care

We’ll make sure you feel comfortable and well cared for until you’re ready to go home. Our services include:

Family-friendly rooms: Our spacious postpartum rooms let you and your baby stay together—and bond in private. We also offer amenities such as free Wi-Fi and sleeping accommodations for your partner or support person.
Breastfeeding support: Our international board-certified lactation consultants (IBCLCs) can help you with breastfeeding challenges such as latching and positioning. You’ll have access to one-on-one support during your hospital stay and outpatient consultations once you’ve gone home.
Postpartum depression screenings: If you’ve had previous depression or anxiety, or feel sad or overwhelmed after giving birth, we’re here to help. We’ll screen you for signs of postpartum depression—a common and treatable condition—and connect you with the right resources.

Neonatal care

If your newborn needs medical treatment, you can take comfort knowing we offer advanced neonatal care.

University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital is home to Iowa’s only Level 4 neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). This is the highest level of neonatal care a hospital can offer. It means we’re equipped to care for the tiniest or sickest babies, including those born as early as 22 weeks.

Our Level 4 NICU designation also means your baby will never have to be transferred to another medical center. No matter what, you and your baby will stay together here in Iowa City.

Labor and Delivery Tours

University Campus

Downtown Campus

Downtown campus also offers in-person tours of our labor and delivery unit. Please call 319-339-3912 to schedule.

Obstetrician Gynecologist

Allison

Boardman

MD, FACOG

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.59 out of 5 (210 ratings)

Emily

Boevers

MD

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

Holly

Bolger

DO

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.87 out of 5 (469 ratings)

Elyse

Brock

MD

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)
Supportive and Palliative Care

4.55 out of 5 (139 ratings)

Lauren E.

Coyne

MD

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.58 out of 5 (528 ratings)

Joseph

Ehle

MD

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.82 out of 5 (349 ratings)

Kelly L.

Ferroni

MD

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.88 out of 5 (360 ratings)

Michael L.

Haugsdal

MD

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.81 out of 5 (604 ratings)

Kathryn J.

Huber-Keener

MD, PhD

Cancer
Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.86 out of 5 (680 ratings)

Flavia

Lessa

MD

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

Rachel

Maassen

MD, MBA

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.92 out of 5 (902 ratings)

Miriam

Murray

MD

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.89 out of 5 (564 ratings)

Stephanie

Radke

MD

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.60 out of 5 (398 ratings)

Kate

Roberts

MD

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

Sarah

Shaffer

DO

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.89 out of 5 (1,266 ratings)

Jami L

Shepard

MD

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.70 out of 5 (39 ratings)

Margaret

Smollen

MD

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.80 out of 5 (879 ratings)

Laura L.

Steers

MD

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.77 out of 5 (244 ratings)

Kelly

Ward

MD

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.94 out of 5 (1,253 ratings)

Lori S.

Wenzel

MD

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.88 out of 5 (57 ratings)

Family Medicine Physician

Beth

Cramer

MD

Family Medicine

4.77 out of 5 (720 ratings)

Sarah K.

Jorgensen

DO

Family Medicine

4.69 out of 5 (241 ratings)

Yulia

Matveeva

MD

Family Medicine

4.84 out of 5 (660 ratings)

Patricia

Millner Branch

MD, MBA, FAAFP, DABOM

Family Medicine

Jeffrey D.

Quinlan

MD, FAAFP

Family Medicine

4.92 out of 5 (446 ratings)

Wendy

Shen

MD, PhD

Family Medicine

4.61 out of 5 (639 ratings)

Alka

Walter

MBBS, MS

Family Medicine

4.84 out of 5 (578 ratings)

Amy

Wiser

MD, FAAFP, IBCLC, MSCP

Family Medicine

Anesthesiologist

Esperanza G.

Ingersoll-Weng

MD

Anesthesia

Unyime

Ituk

MBBS, FCARCSI

Anesthesia

David

Kaczka

MD, PhD

Anesthesia

Raji

Naamani

MD

Anesthesia

Kokila

Thenuwara

MBBS

Anesthesia

Cynthia A.

Wong

MD

Anesthesia

High-Risk Obstetrician

Allison

Allen

MD

Genetics
Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.55 out of 5 (116 ratings)

Christopher

Clark

MD

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.33 out of 5 (136 ratings)

Andrea L.

Greiner

MD

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.44 out of 5 (668 ratings)

Christian

Pettker

MD

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

Mark

Santillan

MD, PhD

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.65 out of 5 (445 ratings)

Malinda

Schaefer

MD, PhD

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.28 out of 5 (180 ratings)

Obstetrician Gynecologist - Complex Family Planning

Abbey J.

Hardy-Fairbanks

MD

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.88 out of 5 (830 ratings)

Certified Nurse-Midwife

Megan

Drey

CNM, ARNP, MSN, CLC

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.72 out of 5 (205 ratings)

Katie

Gassman

CNM, ARNP, MSM

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

Amber

Goodrich

CNM, ARNP, MSN, FACNM

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.78 out of 5 (288 ratings)

Laura

Hanna-Bergen

CNM, PMHNP, ARNP

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)
Psychiatry

4.55 out of 5 (110 ratings)

Bree

Herring

CNM, ARNP, MSN, DNP

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.63 out of 5 (205 ratings)

Kelly

Horn

ARNP, DNP, CNM

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.74 out of 5 (48 ratings)

Abbie

Knudson

CNM, ARNP, MSN

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.61 out of 5 (43 ratings)

Rosemary

Onduso

CNM, ARNP, DNP

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.27 out of 5 (41 ratings)

Meredith

Parizek

CNM, ARNP, DNP

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.71 out of 5 (172 ratings)

Jaclyn R.

Roman

CNM, ARNP, MS, CLC

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.67 out of 5 (441 ratings)

Carla S.

Rouw

ARNP, CNM

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

Sarah

Schoen

CNM, ARNP, MSN, IBCLC

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

Christina M.

Shutters

CNM, ARNP, MSN

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.57 out of 5 (387 ratings)

Kimberly K.

Sprague

ARNP, CNM, MSN

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.47 out of 5 (201 ratings)

Andrina M.

Timmins

CNM, ARNP, MSN, WHNP

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.53 out of 5 (176 ratings)

Nurse Practitioner

Kristen

Eastlund

ARNP

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

Nikki

Goff

DNP, ARNP, RN, WHNP-BC

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

4.92 out of 5 (1,710 ratings)

Planning ahead for labor and delivery?

If you need to choose where you’ll give birth or have questions about your upcoming delivery, give us a call at 1-319-356-2615. We can provide information about our team or facility, answer questions about the check-in process, and more.

Call 1-319-356-2294