Choose a prenatal care provider

Starting or growing a family is a very exciting time. One of the many steps to preparing for baby is to select a provider who cares for you during pregnancy, labor and delivery.

In southwest Minnesota, women can choose from family medicine physicians and advanced care providers, nurse-midwives and OB-GYNs for their maternity care. Beyond your primary provider, an entire team of experts and specialized staff work together to serve you. Brief videos are available to help you select a health care provider whose approach to labor, delivery and pain management aligns with yours.

In the Mankato area, women who receive prenatal care in Mankato, Janesville, Lake Crystal, Le Sueur, St. James, St. Peter, Waseca and Waterville, typically deliver in Mankato.

Family medicine providers
Family medicine physicians and advanced care providers are trained to care for people of all ages. They provide preconception counseling and prenatal care. Typically, the family medicine physician who cares for you in clinic will deliver your newborn. They care for the medical needs of infants, children and your entire family.

Nurse midwives
Nurse midwives are advanced-practice nurses with education and certification in women's health issues. Nurse midwives provide preconception counseling, prenatal care, and labor and delivery care for low-risk pregnancies. They only provide women’s health care. Typically, the nurse-midwife who cares for you in clinic will deliver your newborn. They provide additional services beyond maternity care.

OB-GYNs
Physicians who have completed specialty training in obstetrics and gynecology are commonly referred to as Obstetricians, OB-GYNs, or simply OBs. OB-GYNs provide preconception counseling, fertility, prenatal care, and labor and delivery care for low- and high-risk pregnancies. They only provide women’s health care.

The OB-GYN team rotates labor and delivery call; the physician who is on call at the time of your delivery will deliver your newborn. OB-GYNs provide additional services beyond maternity care.

See who offers prenatal care near you.