Alaska Native Medical Center Obstetrical Team Partners With Customer-Owners
By Public Relations Specialist Jesse Holt
The Alaska Native Medical Center offers tailored obstetric care to customer-owners throughout Alaska.
Starting a family is one of life’s most important decisions, and can be marked by immense joy, meticulous planning, and numerous questions and concerns. Ensuring access to prenatal care is an early and vital step. The Alaska Native Medical Center provides tailored prenatal and delivery care. Southcentral Foundation co-operates the ANMC with partner organization, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium.
At ANMC, comfort is second only to the safety of mother and baby. Midwives are embedded in primary care, and mothers with low-risk pregnancies can visit their usual primary care providers for high-quality prenatal care. For mothers who experience complications during pregnancy or who may be at high risk for developing complications, regardless of where they live in Alaska, collaborative care is available among midwives, obstetricians/gynecologists, maternal-fetal-medicine physicians, and other specialists.
“The birth of my son went better than I ever imagined,” Holly Blakenly, a customer-owner who recently gave birth at ANMC said. “As an LGBTQ couple, my wife and I were worried about where we were going to give birth, but we could not have been put more at ease than with the team at ANMC.”
During and after delivery, every mother experiencing hypertensive disorders or other complications receives treatment immediately. This ensures that she maintains a healthy blood pressure throughout her labor, leading to a healthier delivery and allows the mother to begin bonding with her baby more quickly.
“After my baby was born, the midwife quickly recognized something was wrong with my placenta,“ Blakenly shared. “The whole team worked well together and were able to address the problem.”
The effort to provide the best evidence-based care continues postpartum.
“During postpartum, the nurses and certified nursing assistants were very helpful in educating us on taking care of our first child and responded promptly when I was concerned about my baby’s blood sugar,” Blakenly said.
ANMC Obstetrics and Gynecology promotes breastfeeding as the optimal feeding and caring method for the health of the baby. Breastfeeding education is offered antenatally and postpartum while respecting the mother’s right to make the decision that is best for her family. To assist with successful neonatal feeding, an integrated lactation team is available to support new mothers and address feeding difficulties.
Recognizing the uniqueness of each pregnancy, care is tailored for customer-owners. For instance, if a mother faces challenges attending regular appointments, home blood pressure devices are provided. Additionally, all who provide prenatal care at ANMC recognize the role mental health plays in a healthy pregnancy, offering close consultation with behavioral health professionals.
Pregnant women find a capable ally in the comprehensive and compassionate care provided by the teams that provide obstetrical care. From addressing health disparities to offering tailored care, the ANMC health care professionals are dedicated to ensuring the best outcomes for every mother and child.
“I loved the whole birthing experience at ANMC and would recommend it to anyone,” Blakenly shared.
For more information, connect with your primary care provider.
