St. John's Services Women's Health Having A Baby Perinatal Center

South-Central Illinois Perinatal Center

HSHS St. John’s Children’s Hospital

The South-Central Illinois Administrative Perinatal Center, located in HSHS St. John's Children's Hospital, cares for women experiencing high-risk pregnancies and their babies throughout a 37-county area in central Illinois, with outreach clinics in Springfield, Decatur and Quincy.

The center provides patient services, education for health care professionals and early intervention agencies, and outcome evaluations for hospitals in the region. The Perinatal Center includes a team of Southern Illinois University (SIU) School of Medicine physicians who specialize in maternal-fetal medicine and neonatology.

For more information about the South-Central Illinois Perinatal Center call 217-757-6394.

Services

Patient services include diabetes screenings and follow-up care, blood pressure screenings and follow-up care, genetic counseling and prenatal screenings for birth defects, ultrasound diagnosis, and pre-conception and pregnancy consultations.

Breastfeeding education is also important to provide newborns with the best nutrients possible. The nursing staff at St. John's Women and Infants Center actively supports breastfeeding women. The center educates their clients and the community regarding the importance of the promotion and encouragement of breastfeeding.

Giving You Hope

Studies have shown that a woman who starts prenatal care in the first trimester has a four times greater chance of having a normal child than a woman who receives no prenatal care. Premature birth continues to be the leading cause of infant mortality.

The center works closely with health care professionals who provide care in hospitals, physician offices, public health departments and early intervention agencies to share the latest information on prenatal and fetal care. Outcome assessment includes annual or biannual hospital site visits by center staff. These visits enable the Perinatal Center and regional health care professionals to evaluate patient outcomes and set goals for improvement.

Serving High-Risk Pregnancies

• diabetes in pregnancy

• risk of pre-term labor

• hypertension in pregnancy

• risk of having a child with a birth defect

• cardiovascular disease in pregnancy

• family history of genetic disease

• multiple pregnancies

• complications in previous pregnancies

• Rh sensitization

• and other high-risk pregnancy complications