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Providing Women’s Health Services in a Safe Environment

If you are hesitant to seek in-person care, please know we are prepared. We have enhanced our processes to protect the safety of our patients, team members, and physicians, and our commitment to high-quality and compassionate care remains. Please know we have taken the following actions:

Monitoring the temperature of all patients, visitors, team members and physicians who enter our facilities.
Rigorously cleaning and sanitizing all Hackensack Meridian facilities, including the use of ultraviolet (UV) light cleaning at our hospitals. We have engaged a nationally recognized, third-party organization to oversee these significant efforts, including the testing of air, water and surfaces to make sure they’re safe for our patients and team members.
Providing masks to our patients, visitors, team members, and physicians and requiring them to wear the masks when at our Hackensack Meridian facilities.
Ensuring our team members and physicians have the appropriate personal protective equipment.
Practicing physical distancing throughout our facilities and wherever possible.
When appropriate, virtual appointments are also available via video chat or phone call.

We provide care and treatment for Women’s Health conditions including:

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Our team of highly-trained medical and surgical specialists are ready to provide care tailored to your needs. Find a physician close to you.

If you are experiencing any symptoms, pain or are having an issue you are concerned about, call your doctor’s office. Your physician will guide you on how to proceed. For urgent conditions, such as excessive bleeding, please call 911.

For your convenience, telehealth visits may be an option. To find a physician using telemedicine, please visit our Find a Doctor resource.

FAQs

Are OB/GYN offices open?

Yes, OB/GYN offices are open with additional measures put in place for your safety.

What safety measures are in place for Hackensack Meridian OB/GYN and Maternal Fetal Medicine offices?

Monitoring the temperature of all patients, visitors, team members and physicians who enter our facilities.
Rigorously cleaning and sanitizing all Hackensack Meridian facilities, including the use of ultraviolet (UV) light cleaning at our hospitals. We have engaged a nationally recognized, third-party organization to oversee these significant efforts, including the testing of air, water and surfaces to make sure they’re safe for our patients and team members.
Providing masks to our patients, visitors, team members, and physicians and requiring them to wear the masks when at our Hackensack Meridian facilities.
Ensuring our team members and physicians have the appropriate personal protective equipment.
Practicing physical distancing throughout our facilities and wherever possible.

We are also providing telemedicine visits for care that does not need to take place at our facilities. Please speak with your OB/GYN to determine if telemedicine is appropriate for you.

Can I schedule a mammogram?

Yes, our imaging facilities are currently offering mammogram screenings. It is important to make your appointment and follow through with your visit for a routine screening, and especially important if you notice any changes in your breasts, such as lumps or discharge.

Is it safe to get a pap smear?

It is crucial to follow through on regular cancer screenings, such as mammograms and pap smears, which have resumed under strict safety precautions including rigorous cleaning, use of masks and other personal protective equipment, and physical distancing wherever possible.

My surgery was canceled due to the pandemic. How do I get my surgery rescheduled?

Our surgeons are working closely with our hospitals to reschedule cancelled surgeries and accommodate critical patient needs as a first step, including working to extend daily hours and adding surgeries on Saturday and Sunday. Patients and surgical team members are all being screened for COVID-19, to help ensure the safe performance of procedures. Your doctor’s office will communicate with you regarding the status of your procedure and scheduling. If you experience any changes in health or concerning symptoms, speak with your physician immediately.

How should I handle my prenatal care?

The health and wellbeing of mother and baby is critical. It is extremely important to complete all prenatal, obstetrics and postpartum care as directed by your physician. You should be in close contact with your OB/GYN about your appointment schedule and ask if telehealth visits may be an appropriate option for any of them.

Should I still get an ultrasound with a maternal fetal medicine physician?

Hackensack Meridian Maternal Fetal Medicine physicians continue to offer services such as ultrasounds, with some adjustments to ensure the safety of our patients and team members.

The following scans are still available at our Maternal Fetal Medicine offices:

Dating and viability scans to confirm pregnancy location and viability
Nuchal Translucency scans
12 weeks scans
Anatomy scans at 20 or 22 weeks
Invasive scans, including chorionic villus sampling (CVS) and amniocentesis

If you prefer to have noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) (sometimes called noninvasive prenatal screening (NIPS)), instead of a nuchal translucency scan, the team can arrange for a home blood draw.

Cervical surveillance is also still offered, but your exams may be spaced out if the physician determines your cervix is stable.

Growth and biophysical exams are still done for the usual indications. If you are determined to be lower risk and your condition is stable, your exam may be delayed one or two weeks.

Genetic counseling services are offered via telemedicine.

Is it safe to deliver at the hospital?

Yes, it is safe to deliver your baby in the hospital. We’ve implemented many safety measures to keep mothers, babies and partners safe during a hospital stay. This includes ongoing evaluation of team members to ensure that those with symptoms do not report to work, having stringent masking guidelines, rigorous cleaning procedures, and separate areas for non-COVID and COVID patients. In addition, many hospitals are requiring expectant mothers and their support persons to undergo continuous temperature and symptom evaluation upon admission and throughout their stay.

I plan to have a doula assist me during my labor. Do I have to choose between having my doula or my support person?

No, you do not have to choose. As of June 25, 2020, the Department of Health has designated doulas as members of the care team for laboring patients. That means they are allowed in your delivery room in addition to your support person. Your doula must be temperature and symptom screened for COVID-19 upon entering a Hackensack Meridian facility and at designated intervals. As long as your doula screens negative, they will be allowed to stay with you but if at any time they screen positive, they will be excluded from visiting with you or being in your delivery room and advised to contact their primary care physician. These protocols are in place to protect the safety of you, your baby, support person, and care team.

I will be delivering my baby soon. What can my support person expect in the hospital?

Hospitals are following state guidelines related to visitation and may have extra safety precautions in place. Currently, certain preparations should be made before going to the hospital to deliver. To start, expecting families should anticipate that once the support person enters the hospital, they may not be permitted to leave and return, making it necessary to prepare and pack more than they normally would.

Expecting families should pack several days’ worth of clothing and toiletries for the mother and her support person. They should prepare as if they are going away for a long weekend, being mindful to pack any medications needed, changes of clothing, snacks, phone chargers or other potential items you would not be able to get within the hospital. Also, do not forget to pack the necessary items for bringing your newborn home.

What are the guidelines at the hospital for my delivery support person?

Policies have been implemented to allow our laboring patients to have a support person with them, but also to protect the safety and well-being of patients, babies, staff and the community at large. While we recognize that this is not what couples expected at the start of pregnancy, we must ensure compliance during these challenging times.

Only one support person will be allowed to be in the room with the mother.
The support person will be screened upon arrival at the hospital for potential infection.
- If person screens negative, they will be masked and allowed to accompany mother.
- If person screens positive, they will be excluded from visiting and advised to contact to their primary care doctor or Telehealth.
Upon arrival to the Labor and Delivery unit, the visitor will be rescreened before entering the unit.
- If person screens negative, they will keep the mask on and be allowed to accompany mother.
- If person screens positive, they will be excluded from visiting and escorted out of the facility.
The support person must remain in the patient’s room the entire time on the unit.
The support person must wear a face mask at all times.
The temperature of the support person will be retaken every 6 hours. If a fever develops, the support person will no longer be able to remain in the facility.
The support person can remain in attendance during delivery and continuously wear a face mask.
The support person is not allowed to visit the newborn nursery. However, rooming in with the baby is preferred and in many cases, required, in order to reduce overall risk for infection.

I’ve had my baby. Do I really need to come back into the office for a follow up?

Just as your prenatal appointments were important, it is also vital for you to follow through with your postpartum care. During these appointments, you will be screened for postpartum depression and anxiety as well as receive any necessary physical exams. Talk with your provider to determine if your appointment can be done via telemedicine or should be completed in-office.