We know that when you leave our office you may have questions you want to ask your doctor or nurse practitioner. For this reason, we created FAQs that include some of the most common questions regarding pregnancy and gynecology. We believe ACOG (American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology) is an excellent resource to answer many of your questions and learn more about your health. Please visit any topics you are concerned about on the left hand side of the page. You can also call our office or ask your doctor or nurse practitioner at your next visit to discuss what you’ve learned.
One of the biggest concerns people face when visiting a doctor is how much an appointment will cost and if the insurance will in fact help cover all or at least some of the payment.
While we would like to offer comprehensive detailing of every insurance plan from every provider and how they work with us, the reality of health insurance is that each plan is nearly as unique as each patient.
Our relationship with you is as your healthcare provider. It’s your responsibility to understand and manage your health insurance. That being said, having all of your insurance information with you and knowing what your insurance covers will make for a much smoother appointment.
You can find our accepted insurances listed below. However, it should be noted that this is not a complete list.
If your insurance is not listed, contact your insurance to determine our participation in the network. Likewise, if you have recently changed your insurance or plan, please inform the receptionist or our billing office of the change to ensure the correct company is billed.
If you have any further billing questions, please contact our billing coordinators by calling 225-201-0505 and enter extension 204, 207 or 256.
Accepted insurances include the following but are not limited to:
Breastfeeding is one of the most important things that you can do for your baby, and it can also be one of the most difficult, yet most rewarding, processes that you will ever go through. There are many benefits of breastfeeding for both you and your baby.
Did you know?
The Affordable Care Act requires most insurance plans to cover the cost of a breast pump as part of women’s preventive health services. You can talk to your insurance company about its coverage. If you are covered, let your doctor know so we can provide a prescription for you.
Why breastfeeding is important?
Woman’s Hospital Breastfeeding information
Woman’s Hospital offers the following:
Breastfeeding is one of the most important things that you can do for your baby, and it can also be one of the most difficult, yet most rewarding, processes that you will ever go through. There are many things that can affect breast milk production and each woman’s supply can be affected by something different. Breast milk production amount can also vary in subsequent pregnancies, so even if it did not work for one pregnancy, be sure to give it a try on the next one.
Ways to increase supply are:
If you are having other breastfeeding issues please visit the following for more information:
Support groups:
American Congress of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Women, Infant, & Children (WIC)
American Academy of Pediatrics
Information on breastfeeding at work:
Information about breast pumps:
What to know when buying or using a breastpump
Information about pumping breast milk:
Woman’s Hospital Breastfeeding/pumping
Women’s Health Breastfeeding/pumping and storing breastmilk
Information on breastfeeding for NICU moms:
Yes. There are many methods of birth control, presenting with their own unique benefits and risks. Types include birth control pills, a birth control patch, the NuvaRing, Nexplanon, Depo Provera injection, Mirena IUD and Paragard IUD. Discuss with your healthcare provider about which method may be best for you. To read more about different contraception option please click here
Begin your new pills on the first Sunday after the first day of your menses (the first Sunday after the first sign of bleeding). Always use backup protection for one month.
The pill may make your cycle longer, shorter, or occasionally you may not have a cycle at all.
If you begin to bleed when you are not supposed to be bleeding, continue your pills. Stopping the pills may make the bleeding worse. Look back at the package to make sure you have taken all of your pills through today. If you have not missed any pills, call your doctor, but please do not panic. This can be a normal side effect.
Double up if only one or two pills have been forgotten. If more than two pills have been missed, you should wait until you have another period, and then restart the pills. Remember you should use backup protection for the first month of taking your pills.
There are no studies documenting weight gain on the pill. Equal numbers of people gain and lose weight on the pill. You may experience fluid retention, but this should not account for greater than five pounds. The newer pills have fewer side effects.
The pill can aggravate some migraine headaches, especially if you have a history of migraines. There are a few potential remedies so be sure to ask your doctor. Mood swings can be a side effect of the birth control pills, however sometimes the pills may help alleviate mood swings by keeping your hormones at a steady level. Each type of birth control pill will have its own effects, so you may need to try a few to see which one works best for you.
Decreased libido can be a normal side effect of the pill.
No. The pills of today are much lower in the amount of hormones, therefore reducing side effects.
Hysterosalpingography (HSG) is an X-ray procedure that is used to view the inside of the uterus and fallopian tubes. It often is used to see if the fallopian tubes are partly or fully blocked. It also can show if the inside of the uterus is of a normal size and shape. All of these problems can lead to infertility and pregnancy problems.
HSG also is used a few months after some tubal sterilization procedures to make sure that the fallopian tubes have been completely blocked. HSG is not done if a woman has any of the following conditions:
For additional information, please click here Hysterosalpingography
Colposcopy is a way of looking at the cervix through a special magnifying device called a colposcope. It shines a light into the vagina and onto the cervix. A colposcope can greatly enlarge the normal view. This exam allows the health care provider to find problems that cannot be seen by the eye alone.
Colposcopy is done when results of cervical cancer screening tests show abnormal changes in the cells of the cervix. Colposcopy provides more information about the abnormal cells. Colposcopy also may be used to further assess other problems:
Sometimes colposcopy may need to be done more than once. It also can be used to check the result of a treatment.
For additional information, please click here Colposcopy
NovaSure endometrial ablation is a quick non hormonal procedure that is used to treat heavy bleeding. Novasure is designed to remove just the uterine lining (the endometrium) which is the part of your body that causes heavy bleeding. This procedure can be done in an outpatient setting and you can go home the same day.
For additional information please visit the Novasure website
If you have an abnormal cervical cancer screening result, your health care professional may suggest that you have a loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) as part of the evaluation or for treatment. LEEP is one way to remove abnormal cells from the cervix by using a thin wire loop that acts like a scalpel (surgical knife). An electric current is passed through the loop, which cuts away a thin layer of the cervix.
For additional information, please click here Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP)
Hysteroscopy is used to diagnose or treat problems of the uterus. A hysteroscope is a thin, lighted telescope-like device. It is inserted through your vagina into your uterus. The hysteroscope transmits the image of your uterus onto a screen. Other instruments are used along with the hysteroscope for treatment.
For additional information, please click here Hysteroscopy
D&C is a surgical procedure in which the cervix is opened (dilated) and a thin instrument is inserted into the uterus. This instrument is used to remove tissue from the inside of the uterus (curettage).
D&C is used to diagnose and treat many conditions that affect the uterus, such as abnormal bleeding. A D&C also may be done after a miscarriage. A sample of tissue from inside the uterus can be viewed under a microscope to tell whether any cells are abnormal. A D&C may be done with other procedures, such as hysteroscopy, in which a slender device is used to view the inside of the uterus.
For additional information, please click here Dilation and Curettage (D&C)
Sonohysterography is a special kind of ultrasound exam. Fluid is put into the uterus through the cervix using a thin plastic tube. Sound waves are then used to create images of the lining of the uterus. The fluid helps show more detail than when ultrasound is used alone. This test can be done in your OB-GYN’s office, a hospital, or a clinic. It usually takes less than 30 minutes.
Sonohysterography can find the underlying cause of many problems, including abnormal uterine bleeding, infertility, and repeated miscarriage. It is able to detect the following:
For additional information, please click here Sonohysterography
Ultrasound is energy in the form of sound waves. During an ultrasound exam, a transducer sends sound waves through the body. The sound waves come into contact with tissues, body fluids, and bones. The waves then bounce back, like echoes. The transducer receives these echoes, which are turned into images. The images can be viewed as pictures on a video screen.
For additional information, please click here Ultrasound Exams
I am interested in having a natural birth, water birth, or finding a midwife. How can I get more information?
As your physician, we provide full support for your childbirth plan. Our group of physicians are willing to work with you individually to provide you with labor options to meet your needs. If you are interested in having a water birth or finding support from a midwife during your labor please visit http://birthcenterbr.com/ . We have partnered with a group of wonderful providers to help provide you with another option for your labor.
Where will I be delivering my baby at?
For any hospitalizations during this pregnancy or when you are delivering your baby, it will be at Woman’s hospital. Please visit their website for more information. You can also take a video tour of the hospital!
Who will deliver my baby?
Our group is composed of seven female physicians. There is no way of determining when you might go into labor and who will be on call at that time, but our physicians feel comfortable that any member of their team will show you the same compassion and quality of care that they would personally give.
Please refer to contraception FAQ for additional information
Please refer to contraception FAQ for additional information
You have just undergone surgery and now it is your turn to play an important role in the long-term success of your surgical treatment. Surgery and the recovery period can be a difficult time. It is normal to have many questions and concerns. The following guidelines are presented with the goal of helping you recover from surgery and giving you long-lasting satisfaction from your operation.
We hope that it is clear to you that successful, long-lasting surgery is a joint effort by both the doctor and the patient. After the surgery is complete, the work of the patient begins. We look forward to helping you have a good recovery. Please feel free to call our office if you have any further questions. We always have a nurse and doctor available to you 24/7
At about 1 week, you can begin taking walks. Avoid all exercise other than walking. Begin your everyday activities as soon as you feel up to it. Move around the house, shower, and use the stairs at home during the first week. If it hurts when you do something, stop doing that activity
Do not do any straining or lift anything heavier than approximately 10 pounds for at least the first 3 weeks. This is about the weight of a gallon of milk.
Most forms of housework are discouraged during your recovery period. Housework chores are capable of increasing intra-abdominal pressure significantly, so please try to let someone else perform these duties.
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