New Prenatal Care Recommendations Promote Personalized Care
Expecting a baby doesn’t always fit neatly into a schedule, and now, prenatal care doesn’t have to either. New recommendations from American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) are giving moms-to-be more flexibility in how, when, and where they receive care. By tailoring visits to each patient’s unique needs, these updated guidelines aim to make prenatal care more accessible, convenient, and responsive without compromising safety.
According to Sunetris K. Fluellen, M.D., an obstetrician-gynecologist (OB/GYN) at Torrance Memorial Health, the recommendations allow customization of the frequency and modality of care based on an expectant mother’s physical condition and social needs.
“Whether it’s transportation issues, difficulty taking time off work, insurance concerns, or financial factors, we know that accessing prenatal care can be challenging for expectant mothers,” said Dr. Fluellen. “For moms-to-be who are in good health, the new guidelines show that we can safely reduce the frequency of their visits to every 4-6 weeks instead of seeing them every month during the first 28 weeks, with no negative impact on safety or pregnancy outcomes.”
Dr. Fluellen said Torrance Memorial OB/GYNs have taken other steps to enhance prenatal care access and convenience, including establishing a portal where patients can message their doctor with questions or concerns, educating patients on self-monitoring at home, offering extended office hours, and incorporating labs, vaccines, and other tests into routine appointments.
“Although we may be able to safely decrease the frequency of visits, we still want to make sure we’re seeing patients at least every six weeks to check their blood pressure, monitor weight gain, and measure to make sure the baby is developing as expected,” said Dr. Fluellen.
However, if a patient has any concerns or risk factors, Dr. Fluellen said increased visits may still be necessary.
“If we have patients with a history of miscarriage or other risk factors, or if problems develop, we will increase the frequency of visits to meet the patient’s needs,” said Dr. Fluellen.
Dr. Sunetris Fluellen, a specialist in obstetrics and gynecology, earned her undergraduate degree at Western Kentucky University and received her medical degree at Indiana University School of Medicine. She completed her residency training at Ascension St. John Hospital in Detroit where she served as chief resident.
Dr. Fluellen treats a full range of issues including high risk and normal pregnancies, adolescent gynecology, infertility, and menopause. She is currently accepting new patients and can be reached at 310-784-6822.
