You missed your period, your breasts may be feeling tender, and you’re feeling a little more tired than usual. While these symptoms could indicate that you’re stressed or are about to start your menstrual cycle, it could also be a sign that you may be pregnant. Recognizing the signs of pregnancy and having a game plan if you are pregnant ensures one’s confidence in navigating this new life-changing journey. The care team at MemorialCare Medical Group – Saddleback Medical Center (Women’s Health Pavilion) and the Women’s Hospital at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center are here to provide support and care.
Recognizing the Early Signs of Pregnancy
Signs of early pregnancy vary for each person. While some may notice subtle changes like moodiness or food aversions, others might experience more pronounced symptoms such as:
- Missed period: During the childbearing years, if the person has a regular menstrual cycle and a week or more has passed without the start of the cycle date, that can indicate a possible pregnancy.
- Tender, swollen breasts: Early pregnancy causes hormonal changes that might make your breasts more sensitive and sorer. This type of discomfort is often an indicator that one may be pregnant. Swollen breasts tend to reduce after a few weeks as the body adjusts to the hormonal changes.
- Nausea with or without vomiting: Morning sickness, which can occur at any time of the day or night, is a common symptom of pregnancy. Hormonal changes play a role, but not all women experience nausea or vomiting during their pregnancy.
- Increased urination: The amount of blood in a person’s body increases during pregnancy causing the kidneys to process extra fluid that ends up in the bladder. This can lead to a person urinating more frequently and at times, unable to hold it in easily.
- Fatigue: Feeling unusually tired or drained is a common early symptom of pregnancy due to hormonal changes, particularly because of the rapid surge in the levels of progesterone.
However, not everyone will experience many or any symptoms that could indicate that you are pregnant.
Confirming Pregnancy
If you miss a period and suspect you might be pregnant, it's important to confirm your pregnancy with a test. At-home pregnancy tests are available over the counter without a prescription. If you think you may have received a false negative result (where the test shows you are not pregnant, but you are) or if you'd like to validate a positive test result, you can schedule an appointment with an OBGYN or a certified nurse midwife at MemorialCare Medical Group – Saddleback Medical Center in the Women's Health Pavilion.
If your at-home pregnancy test is positive, your healthcare provider will likely ask you to come in for your first prenatal appointment between six to eight weeks after your first missed period to confirm the pregnancy.
During your prenatal appointment, we will conduct a pregnancy test using either a urine or a blood test. In-office tests, especially blood tests, are typically more sensitive than at-home tests and can confirm pregnancy earlier. While urine tests are similar to at-home tests, they are usually conducted with standardized, high-quality equipment, which helps reduce user error. However, they may not always be more sensitive. For blood tests, we specifically look for hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), a hormone produced by the placenta. Blood tests are highly accurate, with nearly 100% reliability, as they can detect very low levels of hCG just six to eight days after ovulation.
Once your pregnancy is confirmed, you can contact our maternity concierge for any questions related to maternity care.
What is a Maternity Concierge?
Should you choose to deliver at the Women’s Hospital at Saddleback Medical Center, you will be assigned a personal maternity concierge – a person who will coordinate with all of our specialized teams at the Women’s Hospital to fulfill your needs and answer any questions you may have, including questions related to insurance and billing.
As part of Saddleback Medical Center’s commitment to comprehensive prenatal support, a maternity concierge provides individualized support to expecting mothers and their families by helping them navigate their journey and connecting them with the right people and resources. This personal touch empowers patients with a sense of control in their pregnancy journey and provides comfort in knowing they have someone they can lean on for support.
Saddleback Medical Center is the only hospital in the region to offer a personal maternity concierge for every pregnant patient. By extending concierge services to all mothers, Saddleback Medical Center acknowledges that childbirth is a transformative experience that benefits from hands-on, compassionate care for all patients to have the opportunity to experience.
Choosing Between an OBGYN or Certified Nurse Midwife
For future moms, it is important for you to know that you are in control of your birthing experience: you will have a million decisions to make as a parent, starting with the one that matters most. Your choice begins with selecting an OBGYN or a certified nurse midwife from MemorialCare Medical Group. Each woman has control of creating her own unique birthing experience. Some prefer a more holistic approach and want to utilizea certified nurse midwife, while others prefer an OBGYN. Either route you choose is great, and we have outstanding OBGYNs and midwives alike.
Our certified nurse midwives are educated in two disciplines: midwifery and nursing. To receive the professional designation of certified nurse midwives, they must earn graduate degrees, complete a midwifery education program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for the Midwifery Education (ACME), and pass a national certification examination administered by the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB). Because of the specialized training certified nurse midwives receive, they are considered advanced practice registered nurses who provide care prenatally during active labor, birth, and postpartum. Midwives can also be the sole provider for healthy women with uncomplicated pregnancies, offering mothers a holistic approach during childbirth.
Our OBGYNs offer a similar comprehensive care approach to patients as certified nurse midwives. With extensive experience in women’s care, our physicians are skilled in minimally invasive surgery, pregnancy planning, well-woman exams, and everything in between. As is commonly said, raising children takes a village, and we believe supporting new moms starts during pregnancy.
Seamless Maternity Care & Support
One of the many benefits of having your baby at The Women’s Hospital is the seamless communication between your prenatal care team and the specialists at The Women’s Hospital. Selecting an OBGYN or certified nurse midwife within the MemorialCare Medical Group is an important step for mothers seeking comprehensive, personalized care throughout their pregnancy and delivery.
When you see your OBGYN or certified nurse midwife from MemorialCare Medical Group, all your prenatal appointment notes and medical information are securely stored within the same network as The Women’s Hospital. The integrated system is especially crucial when unexpected complications arise during pregnancy. This ensures that your birth care team at the hospital has the most up-to-date information about your pregnancy, making your care more streamlined and comprehensive.
Where Comfort Care Meets, Quality Excellence
The Women’s Hospital at Saddleback Medical Center has some of the highest quality scores in Orange County. Focused on continuous quality improvement, Saddleback Medical Center has implemented initiatives to reduce infection rates and support vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC), empowering women with safe, evidence-based childbirth options. Saddleback Medical Center maintains a 23.2% cesarean birth rate for first-time, low-risk mothers—lower than national and state targets, including many local hospitals. In addition, for eight years in a row, we have been named a Center of Excellence by the Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology.
Additionally, as part of our comprehensive, holistic care, mothers have the advantage of resting in our Labor, Delivery, Recovery, Postpartum (LDRP) suites. These spaces feature large windows for natural light, Bluetooth speakers, lavender-scented towels, freshly baked cookies, and a celebratory brunch. They also include peanut balls and rocking chairs for mobility during labor, with six suites equipped with soaking tubs.
These exceptional offerings underscore Saddleback Medical Center’s commitment to elevating the birthing experience for all mothers, regardless of their risk level or birthing plan.
Why Saddleback Medical Center is Ideal for Complex or High-Risk Pregnancies
If you are experiencing symptoms of concern during your pregnancy, such as abdominal pain including labor contractions; conditions related to high-risk pregnancy like high blood pressure; concern about pre-term labor; or abnormal vaginal bleeding, Saddleback Medical Center has an Obstetrical Emergency Department (OB ED) that provides care to obstetrical patients over 16 weeks pregnant and up to six weeks postpartum. The OB ED features four beds, advanced equipment, skilled OBGYN physicians, and specialty-trained OB nurses, providing the community with the highest level of emergency maternity care. The innovative and dedicated OBGYN triage room is equipped to handle pregnancy-related emergencies.
If you are admitted to the OB ED, you will be cared for by specialized OB ED nurses and a board-certified OBGYN, also known as an OB hospitalist or laborist. The OB hospitalists assess, treat, and discharge as needed. If the OB hospitalists determine you should remain in the hospital for further care or observation, the OB ED team will coordinate your care ensuring you and your baby are healthy and safe.
When you are admitted into the Women’s Hospital, you will be taken to one of our LDRP suites. These suites are designed with the health benefits and bonding value of keeping mom and baby together while ensuring the mother's comfort needs are met.
While expectant parents may create a birth plan with their care team for the best delivery, there may be times when the baby is born early or has needs that require extra attention. At Saddleback Medical Center, we have an on-site level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), which includes a team of board-certified neonatologists, pediatric subspecialists, experienced nurses, respiratory therapists, social workers, and pediatricians to provide specialized, family-centered care for premature or medically fragile newborns.
Pregnancy is a time of profound change and excitement for many. By recognizing the early signs, taking proactive steps, and partnering with a trusted healthcare provider such as MemorialCare, you can embrace this journey with confidence and joy. With a commitment to personalized and family-centered care, the care team at Saddleback Medical Center ensures you and your baby receive the best comprehensive prenatal care, support, education, and counseling for a safe and memorable experience for you and your growing family.
MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center Provides Exceptional Maternal Care
Recognized by Newsweek as America’s Best Maternity Hospital, ‘high-performing’ hospital for maternity care by U.S. News & World Report, equitable maternity care by the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative (CMQCC), Association of Women’s Health and Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN), and Center of Excellence from Society of Obstetric, Anesthesia and Perinatology. MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center is more than a hospital – it is a partner in your pregnancy journey that has been serving parents for over 35 years.
If you are experiencing any pregnancy symptoms, want to start your prenatal care, or want to learn more about our services, call (949) 416-6455.
