Pregnancy Services: Where Comfort Meets Care
The birth of your baby is an extraordinary event and the George Washington University Hospital would like to thank you for allowing us to participate in this memorable experience. Throughout your pregnancy, including preconception preparation, we can create a warm and nurturing environment so that you’re comfortable and well informed. You can rest easy knowing that an expert obstetric team will work together with you to maintain the health and well-being of you and your baby.
Members of the obstetrics staff offer a wide range of prenatal and newborn services at the hospital and the ambulatory care center:
- Pregnancy testing
- Ultrasound
- Chorionic Villi Sampling (CVS) (prenatal testing to determine a chromosomal or other genetic conditions)
- Amniocentesis
- Biochemical and DNA genetic testing
- Hydrotherapy tubs
Center of Excellence
GW Hospital is proud to have achieved the prestigious Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology (SOAP) Center of Excellence (COE) designation. We are one of only 70 hospitals worldwide to hold this designation.
Pampering You and Your Newborn
At GW Hospital’s Women's Center, we create an environment of warmth, comfort, assurance and encouragement before and after the birth of your child.
Our labor and delivery suites offer you beautiful amenities, including private rooms and bathrooms. We believe a family-centered approach to childbirth can help promote the healthy growth and development of the entire family. The birth setting may be intimate and private, or openly shared with your family, partner or those closest to you. The Women's Center respects your birth plan and has a long tradition of catering to all family structures. Your loved ones will be welcomed and encouraged to participate in your childbirth experience.
Newborn services at GW Hospital include:
- Labor and delivery
- Natural childbirths
- Cesarean births
- Epidurals
- High-risk births
Podcast: How to Choose the Best Birth Plan for You and Your Family
Nancy D. Gaba, MD, FACOG, and Whitney Pinger, CNM, FACNM, discuss the importance of preparing for childbirth with a solid birth plan in place.
Level III B Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
GW Hospital’s Level III B Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) provides comprehensive, high-quality and family-centered care for critically ill or premature infants. We reserve this unit for infants with a low birth weight, those who have difficulty breathing or those who experience other complications. This specialized emergency care is available 24/7, should your baby need it.
Whether it's a Cesarean birth, premature infant or in-vitro pregnancy, The Women's Center offers the clinical expertise needed for your peace of mind. The dedicated NICU team includes neonatologists, residents, respiratory therapists and neonatal nurses. Nutritionists, a social worker, a physical therapist, a speech pathologist and a lactation consultant also work closely with the medical team to provide optimal care for your baby.
Our Level III B NICU provides the following advanced services:
- Whole baby cooling
- Administration of IV fluids
- Continuous cardiorespiratory monitoring
- Noninvasive nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)
- Mechanical ventilation, including high frequency oscillation
- Nitric oxide inhalation therapy
- Developmentally supportive environment, including a Quiet Policy
- Private breast-pumping room
- Parental visitation for family bonding
First Hospital in DC to Offer NicView
GW Hospital is proud to be the first hospital in the District of Columbia to offer NicView™—a small camera system placed at designated bed spaces in the NICU. NicView allows parents, family and friends to view their infant in real-time, 24/7, through a secure on-line portal. It is here to help add comfort and support as you bond with your baby even when you cannot be in the NICU with them.
Family members can securely access NicView from anywhere there is an internet connection via a laptop, smartphone or tablet. The service is compatible with any internet capable device and most popular browsers. No other users will have access to your baby’s images unless you have provided them the log-in credentials.
We recognize that having a baby in the NICU can be a difficult time where you miss your baby and may have some anxiety. We are pleased to offer innovative technology to support you in this time. Parents who are not interested in NicView can decline this service.