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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.
Call Labor and Delivery at: (319) 356-2615
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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. 

  • 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. 

  • Family Medicine physicians who provide pregnancy care, including prenatal, delivery, postpartum, and newborn care, plus breastfeeding support.

  • Anesthesiologists who specialize in providing safe, effective pain relief during labor and delivery. 

  • 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. 

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. 

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. 

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.

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 Tour - University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics

Sidebar content

  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
    • Family Planning
      • Tubal Ligation
    • Fertility and Reproductive Endocrinology
      • Fertility Preservation Program
      • Hysterosalpingogram (HSG)
      • Infertility Treatments
      • In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
        • IVF Donor Information
      • Male Infertility Testing
      • Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS)
      • Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Clinic
      • Surrogacy Services
    • Gynecology Care
      • Colposcopy
      • Endometrial Ablation
      • Lichen Planus
      • Loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP)
      • Vulvar Vaginal Disease
    • Maternal Fetal Medicine
      • Gestational Diabetes
      • Preeclampsia
      • Prenatal Genetic Testing and Counseling
    • Maternal Substance Use Disorder Clinic
    • Midwifery
      • Meet the Midwives
      • Nurse Midwifery Education Program
    • Family Medicine
    • MOMS Program
    • Pregnancy Care
      • Breastfeeding Care
      • Labor and Delivery
    • Urogynecology
    • Women's Wellness and Counseling Service
    • Childbirth and Parenting Education

Update to Labor and Delivery Entrance

To keep everyone safe, patients and visitors who enter the hospital are being screened for symptoms of COVID-19. The standard entrance to Labor and Delivery—at the south end of John Pappajohn Pavilion, on For The Kids Way—is now closed. However, there is a call button you may use to gain entry if you are in labor. Or, you may park in Parking Ramp 4 and use the skyway.

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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.

Locations and Offices

Labor and Delivery

6 John Pappajohn Pavilion (JPP)
Level 6, Elevator I
1-319-356-2615
Clinic
Labor and Delivery main entrance at UI Hospitals & Clinics
In University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242
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Awards and Recognition

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