Birthing Centers
Other resources
OB/GYN services
No matter what stage of life you're in — from adolescence to pregnancy to menopause — you can receive care from the OB-GYN team. If you have a women's health issue or concern, the team of physicians and advanced-practice providers — physician assistants and nurse practitioners — is ready to help you find a solution that is best for you.
A variety of surgical and nonsurgical services are available to you for women's issues, including:
- Birth control selection
- Breast care
- Incontinence and bladder care
- Infertility treatment
- Irregular bleeding
Learn more about how OB-GYN services can benefit you.
Pregnancy and infant loss support
Mayo Clinic Health System is so sorry for your loss. Experiencing the loss of a baby is heartbreaking, and the grief is real. It is difficult for all family members.
As you heal physically and emotionally, Mayo Clinic Health System would like you to know that you are not alone. Staff is available to support families who are grieving the loss of their baby through miscarriage, stillbirth or newborn death.
Mayo Clinic Health System provides information, resources and emotional support to help with the grieving process.
Additional resources:
- "Miscarriage – It's not your fault"
- "When grief goes unacknowledged"
- "Currents of grief: Finding balance through the holiday season"
- "What's normal when I'm grieving?"
- "Do children grieve?"
- "Offering support to the grieving"
- March of Dimes: Loss and grief
Free grief therapy
Select providers have collaborated with the Mac Initiative, which is a charitable organization that strives to help grieving parents and families cope with stillborn birth or infant loss.
Through the program, qualifying patients in Minnesota can get up to six free 1-hour therapy sessions. Providers who offer Mac sessions have attended special training to help families who have suffered this type of loss.
Call 507-594-6955 to schedule an appointment and mention the Mac Initiative. In most cases, patients have their initial appointment within 48 hours of requesting services.
Unwanted Newborn — Safe Options
Some women feel that it isn't the right time to start a family. The resources below are available for women who are unsure if they are keeping their baby.
Unwanted Baby
"If a mother has hidden or denied her pregnancy, she may panic when the baby comes. We can't risk that newborn's life," says Terry Walsh, executive director of Safe Place for Newborns. "There's an option to unsafe abandonment." Under Wisconsin's law, a parent can go to any hospital employee, tell him/her that she wants to leave the baby with Safe Place for Newborns and she won't have to fear that police will be called, Walsh explained. The newborn will be given any needed medical attention and then be placed in foster care for adoption. Learn more.
In Wisconsin, a parent may confidentially hand over her unharmed newborn, up to 3 days old, to any hospital employee, EMT or police professional in the state without fear of prosecution. This law is commonly known as the "safe haven law" or Wisconsin Act 2.
In Minnesota, a parent may confidentially hand over her unharmed newborn, up to 7 days old, with an ambulance dispatched in response to a 9-1-1 call, or at a hospital or health care facility that provides urgent care. Medical staff will give shelter, health care and aid to the newborn. The law does not apply if newborns are born in a hospital, have been harmed or are over 7 days old. Learn more.
Adoption
If you are considering adoption, please let your nurse or provider know so he or she can connect you with resources.