Pregnancy care in Minneapolis

Pregnancy care through family medicine

Family medicine pregnancy care connects you with a provider who understands your overall health, not just your pregnancy.

Your family medicine obstetrician provides routine prenatal care, monitors your health and your baby’s development, answers questions, and coordinates additional care when needed. This approach can be especially helpful if you are managing an existing health condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, or another concern that may affect pregnancy.

Family medicine OBs also work alongside other North Memorial Health teams, including OB-GYNs, maternal-fetal medicine, neonatology, and the Family Birth Centers in Robbinsdale and Maple Grove.

Care can start before pregnancy

Pregnancy care can begin before you are pregnant. If you are thinking about becoming pregnant, a preconception visit can help you prepare for a healthier pregnancy. During this visit, your provider will review your medical history, current medications, supplements, chronic health conditions, lifestyle factors, and any questions or concerns you have about pregnancy.

This can be especially helpful if you have a medical condition, have had a previous pregnancy complication, are taking medications, or simply want guidance before trying to conceive.

Confirming your pregnancy

If you think you may be pregnant, call 763-581-5750 to schedule a confirmation visit at the clinic. This is typically a quick visit that includes a pregnancy test to confirm the pregnancy and help determine when to schedule your first prenatal visit. Your care team can also answer initial questions and help you understand what to expect next.

Prenatal visits and ongoing support

Prenatal visits are important to monitor your health and the growth of your baby during pregnancy. This is also a good time to ask questions, discuss symptoms, understand what is normal, and plan for the next stage of your pregnancy.

A general prenatal visit schedule may look like this:

• Confirmation visit: Pregnancy is confirmed at the clinic.
• Weeks 4 to 28: One prenatal visit about every four weeks.
• Weeks 28 to 36: One prenatal visit about every two weeks.
• Weeks 36 to 40: One prenatal visit about every week.

This schedule can change depending on your pregnancy, your health history, or whether you need additional monitoring.

Ultrasounds during pregnancy

Most healthy pregnancies include two routine ultrasound scans.

1. The first ultrasound is often done in the first trimester, before 14 weeks of pregnancy, to help confirm the due date.
2. The second ultrasound is typically done around 18 to 22 weeks. This scan checks fetal anatomy and may also confirm the baby’s sex, if you choose to find out.

Ultrasounds are performed at an imaging clinic or through maternal-fetal medicine for higher-risk pregnancies. Your provider will coordinate the right imaging and specialty care based on your needs.

Some people also choose to have optional 3D or 4D ultrasounds during pregnancy. These are different from routine medical ultrasounds and are usually done outside of the hospital or clinic setting. Because they are optional, they are often paid for out of pocket and may not be covered by insurance.

Delivery and coordinated birth support

As your pregnancy progresses, your provider will help you prepare for delivery. These conversations may include where you will deliver, what to expect during labor, how to prepare for the hospital, and what support you may need before and after birth.

Your provider can also help you talk through your preferences, questions, and concerns before delivery. This can make it easier to understand your options and feel more prepared as your due date gets closer.

North Memorial Health family medicine OBs coordinate delivery care with the Family Birth Centers at our Maple Grove Hospital and Robbinsdale Hospital locations. Patients can pre-register for their hospital stay through MyChart.

When it’s time to welcome your baby, your family medicine obstetrician will be there with you, providing care during labor and delivering your baby. Because they’ve cared for you throughout your pregnancy, they understand your health, your preferences, and your care plan. This continuity can help create a more comfortable, coordinated experience and build confidence knowing you’re supported by a provider you already know and trust.

Support beyond appointments

Pregnancy and birth come with a lot to learn, and you may want support beyond your regular clinic visits. Classes and birthing facility tours can help you feel more prepared as you get closer to delivery and life with your baby.

North Memorial Health offers pregnancy, birth, and parenting resources to support you through this stage. Options include childbirth and parenting preparation, breastfeeding education, Family Birth Center tours, sibling classes, car seat clinics, and the Mommy & Me group. View class and tour offerings.

These resources help you better understand what to expect during labor, delivery, feeding, and newborn care. They also prepare you for the transition from pregnancy to caring for your baby at home.

Care after birth

Your care does not end at delivery. The weeks after birth are an important time for healing, adjustment, and support as your body recovers and your family settles into a new routine.

Postpartum care includes checking your physical recovery, discussing mood and emotional health, answering questions about feeding, and helping you understand what is normal after delivery. This visit is also a time to talk about any symptoms, concerns, or changes you have noticed since giving birth.

Your provider will help you understand what support you may need as you recover and adjust to life with your baby. Having continued care after delivery makes it easier to ask questions, talk through concerns, and feel supported during the postpartum period.

Newborn and well child care

One benefit of receiving pregnancy care through family medicine is that your baby is able to continue seeing the same provider after birth. This makes the transition from pregnancy care to newborn care feel more connected and familiar.

After your baby is born, your family medicine provider can help with newborn visits, feeding questions, weight checks, sleep concerns, growth and development, immunizations, and common childhood illnesses. These early visits are also a time to ask questions as you adjust to caring for your baby at home.

For new families, this continuity is reassuring. The provider who supported you during pregnancy also understands your health history, your delivery experience, and your family’s needs. That context can make care feel more personal as your child grows.

Care for your family through every stage

Family medicine is designed to care for the whole family. That means your provider can support your health before pregnancy, during pregnancy, during and after delivery, and throughout your child’s early years.

This type of care is helpful when your needs and your baby’s needs overlap. You may have questions about your own recovery, feeding, mood, sleep, birth control, or ongoing health concerns while also managing newborn visits and your child’s care.

Having one provider or care team who understands the bigger picture can make care easier to manage. It can also help your family build a long-term relationship with a provider who knows your family’s history.

Pregnancy care FAQ

Can I see a family medicine provider for pregnancy care?

Yes. Our family medicine obstetricians offer pregnancy care, including prenatal visits, delivery, postpartum care, and newborn care. At North Memorial Health, family medicine obstetricians also coordinate with OB-GYNs, maternal-fetal medicine, neonatology, and other specialists when needed.

When should I schedule my first pregnancy appointment?

If you think you may be pregnant, schedule a confirmation visit. This visit confirms the pregnancy and determines when to schedule your first prenatal appointment.

If you are planning to become pregnant, you can schedule a preconception visit before pregnancy. This gives you a chance to talk with your provider about your health history, medications, supplements, lifestyle factors, and any concerns before trying to conceive. What happens at a pregnancy confirmation visit?

What happens at a pregnancy confirmation visit?

A pregnancy confirmation visit is typically a quick clinic visit that includes a pregnancy test. Your care team will confirm the pregnancy, answer early questions, and guide you on when to schedule your first prenatal visit.

How often are prenatal visits?

A typical prenatal visit schedule is every four weeks from weeks 4 to 28, every two weeks from weeks 28 to 36, and every week from weeks 36 to 40. Your schedule may change based on your health, your pregnancy, or whether additional monitoring is needed.

What if I have a health condition or a high-risk pregnancy?

If you have a health condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, or another concern that may affect pregnancy, your family medicine obstetrician will monitor your health and coordinate additional care. If your pregnancy requires more support, your provider may work with OB-GYNs, maternal-fetal medicine, or other specialists.

Where are ultrasounds done?

Routine ultrasounds are done at an imaging clinic or through maternal-fetal medicine for higher-risk pregnancies. Optional 3D or 4D ultrasounds are usually done outside of the hospital or clinic setting and may not be covered by insurance. Your provider can help coordinate the right medical imaging based on your needs.

Where will I deliver my baby?

North Memorial Health family medicine OBs coordinate delivery care with the Family Birth Centers at North – Maple Grove Hospital and North – Robbinsdale Hospital. As your pregnancy progresses, your provider can help you determine where you will deliver, what to expect during labor, and how to prepare for your hospital stay.

Are pregnancy, birth, and parenting classes available?

Yes. North Memorial Health offers pregnancy, birth, and parenting resources such as childbirth and parenting preparation, breastfeeding education, Family Birth Center tours, sibling classes, car seat clinics, and the Mommy & Me group. These resources can help you prepare for labor, feeding, newborn care, and life with your baby. View class and tour offerings.

What care do I receive after delivery?

Postpartum care may include checking your physical recovery, discussing mood and emotional health, answering feeding questions, and talking through symptoms or concerns you have noticed since delivery.

Can my baby see the same family medicine provider after birth?

Yes. One benefit of family medicine pregnancy care is that your provider is able to continue caring for your baby after birth through newborn and well-child visits.

Can the same provider care for my family long term?

Yes. Family medicine providers can support your health before pregnancy, during pregnancy, after delivery, and throughout your child’s early years. For many families, this makes care feel more connected because one provider or care team understands the broader picture of your family’s health.

Schedule pregnancy care in Minneapolis

If you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or looking for pregnancy care in Minneapolis, North Memorial Health can help you understand your next step.

Call 763-581-5750 to schedule an appointment with a family medicine pregnancy care provider to get started.