Bridging the gap between birth dates and due dates through specialty antepartum high-risk pregnancy care.

Occasionally, situations develop during pregnancy that put the health of the mother or baby at risk, and special care becomes necessary. Our antepartum unit (APU) is designed to care for high-risk patients before delivery.

Perinatologists, also known as maternal-fetal medicine specialists, and antepartum nurses are experts at managing high-risk pregnancies. Our Perinatal Navigation Program was developed to meet the special needs of families that have been identified as high-risk either because of a mom issue or fetal issue to coordinate specialist appointments and provide support for high-risk conditions. You and your baby will be cared for by our comprehensive multidisciplinary team committed to achieving the best possible outcomes.

Our high-risk perinatal and antepartum programs provide constant monitoring of mother and baby, allowing the baby time to grow as much as possible in the stable environment of the womb.

  • Mothers of multiples
    Many mothers of multiples require early bed rest and sometimes early admission to the hospital for monitoring. Our APU provides expectant mothers with a home away from home. We can help with issues common to multiple births, such as multiple baby monitoring, pre-term labor, preeclampsia, diabetes, and premature rupture of membranes.
  • High-risk pregnancy conditions
    The Woman's Hospital of Texas offers the most comprehensive care in the Houston region for high-risk pregnancies. Some mothers are diagnosed with high-risk pregnancies early in their pregnancy, while others may develop complications that require attention later in their pregnancy. We care for women with high-risk pregnancy conditions, such as pre-term labor, hypertension and diabetes, incompetent or weakened cervix, and more.

APU stay and support

Our APU provides mothers on bed rest a second home, complete with the additional support they and their vulnerable babies require.

Most antepartum patients arrive between 30 and 32 weeks, and a 3- to 4-week stay is typical. However, some mothers with uncontrolled diabetes or high blood pressure may begin their stay as early as 20 weeks into their pregnancy. Whatever your physician recommends, The Woman's Hospital of Texas can help. We strive to make you as comfortable and supported as possible during your stay in our APU.