Planning For Delivery
Planning
for Delivery
Caring for yourself — and your baby — starts long before their birthday.
Prenatal care
Whether you’re a first-time mother or are adding to your growing family, early planning for a new baby adds peace of mind and helps ensure a smooth, healthy pregnancy. This includes mothers welcoming a new infant through IVF, an egg or sperm donor, or surrogacy or prearranged adoption.
Throughout pregnancy, you’ll work with doctors and nurses who make up your healthcare team or prenatal care team. This may include:
- An obstetrician (also called OB). An obstetrician (also called OB). An OB is a doctor who has education and training to take care of pregnant women and deliver babies. Your regular gynecologist can often serve this role, or recommend an OB.
- A family practice doctor (also called a family physician). This is a doctor who can take care of every member of your family. This doctor can take care of you before, during and after pregnancy.
- A maternal-fetal medicine (also called MFM) specialist). This is an OB with education and training to take care of women who have high-risk pregnancies.
- A certified nurse-midwife (also called CNM). This is a nurse with education and training to take care of women of all ages, including pregnant women with low-risk pregnancies. They are also trained to deliver babies.
- A family nurse practitioner (also called FNP) or a women’s health nurse practitioner (also called WHNP). A FNP is a nurse with education and training to take care of every member of your family. A WHNP is a nurse with education and training to take care of women of all ages, including pregnant women.
- Mothers with chronic health conditions may also include specialist doctors on their prenatal care team.
Chicago birthing hospitals specializing in chronic health conditions
- University of Chicago Medicine
- Rush University Medical Center
- Northwestern Maternal and Fetal Medicine
Get all the resources you need for a healthy pregnancy on our Prenatal Care page.
Birth plans
What is a birth plan?
A birth plan is a written document that describes your preferences for what happens when you’re in labor or giving birth. The plan answers questions for your prenatal care team so you can focus on giving birth.
Review your birth plan with your OB before your due date — but remember that your plan may change at the last minute to ensure the safest possible delivery.
Use this downloadable template to help you prepare your own birth plan. Your OB can answer any questions you may have about your options:
Surrogacy
Surrogacy is an option for mothers who are unable or do not want to carry their own pregnancy, or for men/transgender people who want a child who shares their genes.
There are two types of surrogates:
- Gestational carrier surrogacy involves a woman, known as the surrogate or gestational carrier, and the person or couple who provides the sperm and egg, known as the intended parents. The sperm and egg come from the intended parents or from a donor.
- Traditional surrogacy involves the surrogate using her own egg, meaning she will be biologically related to the child.
A fertility doctor will help guide you through the surrogacy process and advise you on other professionals to include in the process. The steps typically include:
- Creating embryos by pairing the sperm and egg in a laboratory.
Embryos are tested for health and genetics to increase the likelihood of success. - Find and match with a surrogate.
This person can be a friend or family member. Agencies can also help you match with a surrogate. - Getting pregnant and embryo transfer.
The embryo is implanted in the surrogate in a process similar to IVF. - Becoming a parent.
The surrogate is monitored by your fertility doctor, then an OB.
Legal considerations are a crucial part of the surrogacy decision. In Illinois, children and their intended parents must establish a legal relationship prior to birth. Detailed legal requirements and required forms are available on the Illinois Department of Public Health website.
Surrogacy can also be an expensive process, and is rarely covered by insurance. Make sure you understand these potential costs before starting the process.
Additional Reading
Doulas & Midwives
These trained experts offer extra assistance during pregnancy and birth.
READ MORE 
Family Connects Chicago
Get a free in-home nurse visit for new moms, infants, and your family.
READ MORE
Black Maternal Health
Black mothers have been found to face barriers to equitable maternal care.