Maternal Special Care
Ohio State’s Maternal Special Care Unit provides inpatient, high-risk pregnancy care for people needing extra monitoring or treatment during pregnancy.
When something unexpected happens in your pregnancy, you’ll want to make sure you and your baby have the best care possible.
If you need to be admitted to the hospital to await delivery or need treatment during pregnancy that requires a hospital stay, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and its obstetrician team will be with you every step of the way, ensuring you and your baby stay safe until it’s time for them to arrive. Our Maternal Special Care Unit provides expert and compassionate inpatient care for pregnant people at high risk for complications.
Let us help you take control of the unexpected. We’ll provide the highest level of care possible for whatever you might face in your pregnancy.
What is Ohio State’s Maternal Special Care Unit?
The Maternal Special Care Unit is our in-hospital unit dedicated to caring for pregnant people who need closer monitoring or treatment during pregnancy. This specialized inpatient pregnancy care, sometimes referred to as antepartum (before birth) care, is led by board-certified obstetricians and Maternal Fetal Medicine specialists (perinatologists).
The physicians work alongside specially trained nurses, anesthesiologists and other medical and surgical subspecialities to provide unparalleled care – all available 24/7 while you stay in the hospital.
As the only Level IV Maternity Center in central Ohio, we provide the highest level of obstetric care in the region, meaning we’re equipped to handle the most complex maternal and fetal conditions. We coordinate when needed with our onsite, Level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), which is managed in collaboration with Nationwide Children’s Hospital and provides extra care for newborns who need it.
Highlights of Ohio State’s Maternal Special Care Unit
With the opening of University Hospital, there are now 18 private rooms for pregnant people who need an extended stay at the hospital before their delivery. Amenities include:
- Dedicated maternity floor with direct elevator access. Labor and Delivery and the Maternal Special Care Unit are both located on floor 23 with a nonstop elevator to get you there quickly, if needed. Four operating rooms are available down the hall for quick and easy access, if necessary.
- Private rooms filled with natural light. Patient rooms are spacious and feature large windows overlooking the city. We’ve thoughtfully designed the layout and furniture to support your healing and provide comfort.
- Smarter, calmer rooms. Each room includes a 75-inch digital footwall screen that allows you to see your care team’s names, access education and connect by video if needed. Other conveniences include on-demand dining and space for a support person to stay.
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Just one floor below the inpatient unit is an entire floor for the NICU. This new space includes individual NICU rooms in collaboration with Nationwide Children’s, so families can stay close to their baby when intensive care is needed. The NICU features 51 bassinets and larger rooms to accommodate twins and triplets.
High-risk pregnancy: Twins against the odds
Identical twin sisters are thriving because of the care of Ohio State Maternal Fetal Medicine specialists. Their mother had an extended stay in the Maternal Special Care Unit.
What pregnancy conditions can cause an inpatient admission?
Many situations are best managed with hospital observation or treatment. Common reasons to be admitted include:
- High blood pressure in pregnancy, including preeclampsia
- Diabetes that needs inpatient monitoring or insulin adjustments
- Signs of preterm labor or premature rupture of membranes (water breaking early)
- Vaginal bleeding in pregnancy
- Higher-order or higher-risk multiple pregnancies (twins, triplets and more)
Your care team will explain why admission is recommended and how it supports the safest plan for you and your baby.
What to expect during inpatient high-risk pregnancy care
It’s normal to feel overwhelmed and anxious if you have to be admitted to our Maternal Special Care Unit. Your first couple of hours in the hospital may seem hectic, with doctors and nurses coming in and out of your room asking questions.
But you can rest assured you’re in the best place to keep you pregnant safely for as long as possible. And our staff members want to make your time with us as pleasant as we can despite challenging circumstances. Your care plan is shared in plain language, and you and your support person are invited into bedside discussions and decision-making.
Being admitted doesn’t always mean your baby is coming soon. Often, we admit you to watch closely and treat early. If delivery becomes the safest option, your team – including obstetrics, anesthesia and newborn specialists – will be ready.
24/7 care from Maternal Fetal Medicine specialists
As a Level IV Maternity Center, we have obstetricians available at all times, as well as Maternal Fetal Medicine subspecialists with in-depth education and experience who assist in directing our services.
Additional team members include:
- Nurses who have additional training and certification in fetal monitoring
- Patient care associates to assist the nursing staff in your care
- A board-certified anesthesiologist with special training and experience in obstetric anesthesia
- A full complement of subspecialists, if needed, including in critical care, general surgery, infectious disease, hematology, cardiology, nephrology, neurology, oncology and neonatology
Visitor policy
During your stay, your visitors will be allowed to visit throughout the day with unlimited visitation hours. Children cannot stay on the unit without another adult supervising them, and they may not spend the night. You are welcome to have one adult visitor spend the night with you.
Getting ready for labor and delivery
If you’re admitted until delivery, we’ll help prepare you for labor, whether it’s an emergency or something planned in advance. The inpatient high-risk pregnancy unit is conveniently situated on the Labor and Delivery floor to make the transition to labor easier, as well as to keep you close to an operating room, if necessary for cesarean births or treatments.
The NICU and the postpartum units are on the floors below and above, respectively, so your care will feel seamless once it’s time for your baby to arrive.
Why choose Ohio State for inpatient high-risk pregnancy care?
High-risk pregnancy care at Ohio State is unparalleled in the region. We’re the only Level IV Maternity Center in central Ohio, meaning we care for the most complex conditions related to pregnancy and childbirth. Reasons to consider Ohio State for your inpatient high-risk pregnancy care include:
- We have the highest level of maternity care with seamless subspecialty support. Our Maternal Fetal Medicine physicians provide around-the-clock coverage, plus we offer obstetric anesthesia and rapid access to cardiology, neurology, critical care and more, all in one hospital.
- We have excellent outcomes and experiences for families. Ohio State is recognized as “High Performing” in U.S. News & World Report’s Maternity Care ratings, and the new hospital design further enhances safety, comfort and communication.
- We’re proud of our new University Hospital’s advantages. From dedicated maternity floors with private rooms and smart technology to direct elevator access to the Maternity Center and a state-of-the-art NICU, Ohio State truly is a leader in maternity care – no matter the type of pregnancy you have.