Dear Asheville Community,
We know the devastation from Hurricane Helene has hit our home hard. We feel for the pregnant and postpartum folks in our community. We have gathered a list of care options to hopefully help you navigate this time. There is a lot to think about, if you are a healthy pregnant person in your third trimester, we recommend considering what your options are. Where are your resources? Where do you have support? What type of birth environment do you want? Below are the statements we've gathered from local care providers as well as regional resources.
FREE ACCESS to Care Options for Pregnancy, Birth, & Postpartum (online webinar that guides you through this decision-making process as a pregnant person determining what to do; click the link to watch)
If you're pregnant and seeking support and funding to relocate and transfer care
you can fill out this form! We are here to help.
Status of WNC Prenatal Providers
Mission Hospital:
-Remains open and is a safe and reliable hospital for folks in need.
-Missions NICUS are open
-Mission is conserving resources for emergencies, trauma services, and OB will continue to provide labor and delivery care.
-If you are in WNC and you need the resources of a level 2 hospital, Mission is the place to go.
-You will not be turned away if you are in labor. As of right now, all c-sections and inductions are canceled; those who can go safely elsewhere to be delivered are being advised to do so.
-They are hoping to be able to resume medically indicated inductions/ c-sections soon (blood pressure issues, diabetes, growth restriction, etc), but there is not a date on this.
-As of 10/4/24, HCA has been able to secure enough continuous outside water sources (tanker trucks & a well) to be able to provide enough running water in the building for hand washing & cleaning. Stay tuned for more updates on the water situation there.
MAHEC OB/GYN :
-Pregnant patients at 36+ weeks to evacuate to areas outside of WNC that have access to clean water, where they can safely deliver their babies & have access to water postpartum.
-MAHEC is currently seeing their patients (not taking on other patients). Contact MAHEC to schedule.
-Triage and Patient Communication - Faculty are reviewing inductions, c-sections, and outpatient lists to determine which patients need immediate care and where they should be directed.
-Postpartum patients who are being discharged are encouraged to evacuate due to the current lack of clean water in the area.
-Patients who cannot evacuate and need to be scheduled for induction or c-section will be triaged by MAHEC's team to Mission Hospital or other nearby facilities.
Lilac Health Asheville Birth and Wellness Center:
-Is temporarily closing due to water supply issues and lack of emergency care services.
-They will reopen as soon as they have clean water and access to emergency services
-Encouraging anyone who is approaching their estimated due date in the next month to evacuate if possible.
-Can help connect folks to Lilac birth centers in Charleston and Savannah.
-In addition to the Lilac centers, Advent Hospital in Hendersonville, Harris Hospital in Sylva, The Atlanta Birth Center, Natural Beginnings in Statesville, & Catawba Valley Medical Center in Hickory, are all welcoming Lilac clients.
-The Lilac team is currently communicating with other community-based birth options who may be able to accept transfer of care throughout the Carolinas over the next few days.
-As the team gains more information and access to cell service, they will be available to provide virtual visits for patients who have prenatal appointments or would like to check in with a midwife.
Laurel OB/GYN & Asheville Womens:
-Laurel is currently closed until the conditions allow them to re-open.
-Laurel OB patients that are 37 weeks or greater are advised to evacuate to a more stable area and stay for delivery.
-AWMC is open at their Long Shoals location for urgent concerns and obstetrical care.
-AWMC is encouraging all clients >37wks without running water at home to evacuate if able.
-Unified Women's Health is reaching out to patients directly to help facilitate this transfer of care to sister practices.
Biltmore OB/GYN:
-OB patients that are 37 weeks or greater are advised to evacuate to a more stable area and stay for delivery.
Lantern:
-Is currently closed due to lack of water and internet.
-They are answering calls and messages as they are able
-They do have a small team on site at their downtown location (390 S French Broad) to see scheduled patients in person starting 10/7/24.
Grace OBGYN
-Hopes to be up and running to see OB patients in the next week. (Last update on 10/4)
-Encouraging patients who feel safe and have a safe place to bring their babies home to proceed with delivering at Mission starting this week.
Prenatal Care Transfer Options :
*Local Community Hospitals: Harris, Advent, Haywood have all communicated that they have the resources to accommodate low and moderate risk clients.*
North Carolina
Hospital Births
Advent Health Options:
Dr. Acara at Hendersonville OB/GYN Associates
828-687-3800
Talk to Tara, office manager.
Willing to take any gestational age, but needs to be low risk
Doesn’t file with Medicaid
Harris Women’s Care:
OB/GYN & 24/7 midwifery service
Able to care for low to high risk clients, including preterm births 32+wks.
70 The Village Overlook, Sylva, NC 28779
828-631-8913
Associated hospital: Harris Regional Hospital
*Offering Walk-In Clinics for any displaced pregnant people, even those not established with Harris, weekdays from 7:30-9am, & Saturday 10/5 & 10/12 from 9am-12pm. Or may call & get an appointment.*
Appalachian Women’s Health (formerly Harmony Center for Women)
OB/GYN & CNMs
381 Deerfield Rd
Boone, NC 28607
Phone: 828-268-8970
UNC Women’s Complete Care
Lenoir, NC
Ashe Memorial
200 Hospital Ave
Jefferson, NC 28640
Phone: 336-846-7101
Catawba Valley Medical Center Midwives
810 Fairgrove Church Rd SE
Hickory, NC
828-466-7196
*say that you are displaced by hurricane and bring whatever records you have*
A Woman’s View
915 Tate Blvd SE
Hickory, NC
OB/GYNs & 1 CNM
(828) 345-0800
Associated hospital: Catawba Valley Medical Center
*Mention being displaced*
Catawba Women’s Center
OB/GYNs & 4 CNMs
1501 Tate Blvd, SE, Suite 201
Hickory, NC 28602
P: 828-322-4140
F: 828-322-3767
Associated hospital: Catawba Valley Medical Center
*Mention being displaced*
Atrium Health
Prenatal Care Provider List linked here
Charlotte, NC & beyond (Winston-Salem, Wake Forest, Concord, Shelby, Gastonia, etc)
-If you are high risk, this system has MFMs & a NICU to care for you.
-Please call the hotline in the link above to find your closest location & consult for appropriate resources. They will get you set up with an appointment.
-Atrium setting up their mobile hospital (Med-1) at the equestrian park in Tryon. They have an OB/GYN bus there staffed with volunteers for OB triage or prenatal & postnatal care through October. They can help with transportation & can connect perinatal families with Atrium resources.
Atrium Women's Care:
Shelby, NC ; 980-487-2800
Lake Norman OB/GYN
131 Medical Park Rd # 102, Mooresville, NC 28117
Phone: 704-663-1282
Novant Health Carmel OB/GYN
5933 Blakeney Park Dr #100, Charlotte, NC 28277
Provider Contact: Sharrol Barnes, great group of CNMs led by Tina Hayes.
Associated hospital: Novant Matthews (SE Charlotte)
Union OB/GYN
1550 Faulk St # 2100
Monroe, NC 28112
Phone: 704-289-2553
Caromont Health: Gastonia
Collaborative group of MDs & CNMs
Contact: Paige (980) 834-9220
Associated hospital: Caromont Regional Medical Center
Wendover OB/GYN & Infertility
1908 Lendew St, Greensboro, NC 27408
OB/GYNs & CNMs, offering waterbirth
336-273-2835
Associated hospital: Cones Women’s Hospital
Cone Health Center for Women’s Healthcare
930 Third Street First Floor
Greensboro, NC
Associated hospital: Cones Women’s Hospital
Phone: 336-890-3200
Chapel Hill OB/GYN
120 Conner Dr #101
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Phone: 919-942-8571
Triangle Physicians for Women
600 New Waverly Pl # 310, Cary, NC 27518
Cary, NC
Associated hospital: WakeMed Cary
Phone: 919-678-6900
UNC Midwives
3009 Old Clinic Building,
CB 7570,
Chapel Hill, NC 27599
Associated hospital: UNC
Phone: 919-966-2131
Durham Women’s Clinic
209 E Carver St
Durham, NC 27704
Phone: 919-471-2273
Duke University Medical Center
Phone: 919-590-0105
Durham Regional
Alamance OB/GYN
1091 Kirkpatrick Rd, Burlington, NC 27215
Associated hospital: Cone Alamance Regional
Phone: 336-538-1880
Kernodle Clinic OB/GYN
101 Medical Park Dr,
Mebane, NC 27302
Phone: 919-563-2500
White Owl Midwifery
606-B Pinetree Drive New Bern, NC 28586
201 E.Elizabeth St. Elizabeth City, NC 27909
New Bern Office 252-658-1553
Elizabeth City Office 252-626-6799
Central Carolina Women’s Health
1140 Carthage St,
Sanford, NC 2733
Phone: 919-775-2304
Novant Health Family Medicine
2523 Delaney Ave.
Wilmington, NC 28403
(910) 763-5522
Provider Contact: Jannalynne Beste
Out of Hospital Births (many only willing to accept clients already planning OOH)
Natural Beginnings Birth Center
1420 Fern Creek Dr, Statesville, NC 28625
https://www.naturalbeginningsnc.com
Haven Women’s Health & Birth Center
226 Ashville Ave, Suite 20
Cary, NC, 27518
919-322-0284
Aya Birth & Community Wellness (formerly Sankofa Birth & Women’s Care)
Durham, NC
Will be accepting clients with due dates after 12/15/24
Can register for care here: https://ayawellness.org/
Haw River Midwifery
Saxapahaw, NC
*offering prenatal care, home birth and IBCLC services, after 11/1/24*
Integrative Midwifery
Hillsborough, NC 27278
CNM able to offer some pre & postnatal care, assists Haw River with homebirths
919-275-5927
South Carolina
Hospital Birth
Prisma Health Greenville Midwifery Group
35 Medical Ridge Drive
Greenville, SC 29605
Offering in-hospital care with CNMs, including water birth
If you are high risk, this system has MFMs & a NICU to care for you.
Associated hospital: Greenville Memorial
Phone: 864-797-7350
Fax: 864-797-7355
Out of Hospital Birth
Columbia Midwifery
Home birth practice
Phone: 803-341-5554
Columbia, SC
https://www.columbiamidwifery.com/
Birth Centers (many only willing to accept clients already planning OOH)
Charleston Birth Place
1300 Hospital Drive #270
Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464
843-818-1123
*Lilac Birth Center Group*
Genesis Birth and Wellness
23 Mills Avenue, Greenville, South Carolina 29605
Currently no power to the BC & not currently accepting transfers until they know about utilities.
(864) 565-8646
Labors of Love
850 Floyd Rd Extension
Spartanburg, SC
Phone: 864-285-0574
Georgia
Hospital Births
Peach Tree Women’s Clinic
Atlanta, GA
https://www.peachtreewomensclinic.com/index.php
Birth Centers (many only willing to accept clients already planning OOH)
Savannah Birth and Wellness
1692 Chatham Pkwy
Savannah, GA 31405
912-732-5000
*Lilac Birth Center Group*
Atlanta Birth Center
1 Baltimore Place NW, Suite 105
Atlanta, GA 30308
404-474-2770
Tennessee
Hospital
Vanderbilt
https://www.vanderbiltnursemidwives.org/
Phone: 615-875-0875
Nashville, TN
Erlanger
975 East 3rd Street
Chattanooga, TN 37403
Phone:423-778-7000
UT
3 East
1924 Alcoa Highway
Knoxville, TN 37920
Phone: 865-305-9830
Out of Hospital
East Tennessee Midwifery
Certified Professional Midwife offering prenatal and postpartum care, as well as home birth across eastern TN and delivery services in our birthing suite in Oak Ridge, TN.
110 Lehigh Lane
Oak Ridge, TN
615-815-8469
Sacred Born Midwifery
Offering home births in NE TN & SW VA
127 W Main St, Johnson City TN 37604
828-708-2786
Baby & Co
Vanderbilt Birth Center
3212 West End Avenue, Suite 100
Nashville, TN 37203
The Farm
198 Second Road Summertown, Tennessee 38483
Phone: 931.964.2293
Trillium Homebirth
Maryville, TN
Phone: 757-812-2461
Roots & Wings Midwifery
Certified Professional Midwives offering prenatal, postpartum, and labor support in a home setting. Birth suites available at our location.
3715 Sutherland Ave
Knoxville,TN 37919
Info@rootsandwingsmidwifery.com
Doulas
DONA Doula Directory: Use this directory to find a DONA certified doula wherever you go!
https://www.dona.org/what-is-a-doula-2/find-a-doula/
North Carolina
Gabe Lazarus
sacredsongdoula.com
Supporting clients in the Triangle of NC and Pittsboro
Uptown Doulas
Charlotte, NC
Birthwise Doulas Services
Charlotte, NC
Georgia
Atlanta Doula Collective
https://www.atlantadoulacollective.org/the-collective
The Atlanta Doulas
Doulas of ATL
South Carolina
Kiera Walsh
New Wave Birth
Charleston, SC
215-526-4679
Bodhi Birth and Wellness
https://bodhibirthandwellness.com
Doula Group
Doula Besties
Community Resources + Emergency Services
Mental Health Support
Mental Health ProBono Referrals for WNC Survivors:
Postpartum Support International
w.postpartum.https://wwnet
Housing
FEMA - offering hotel vouchers at no cost. To apply, call 1-800-621-3362 or go to disaster assistance.gov or www.fema.gove/disaster/4827
Feeding Supplies/Donations
Just an FYI regarding breastfeeding/cleaning supplies: Medela is partnering with Aeroflow to distribute within the WNC community. “We’re shipping pallets of 1,000 Harmony manual pumps, cleaning wipes, micro steam bags, milk storage bags etc. and then Aeroflow will coordinate distribution on the ground.”
-Diapers, Wipes, Formula Supplies are available at West Asheville Yoga. Text 858.603.0762 with what you need if you can.
-Frozen Breast Milk - Contact Jayne Carpenter at Roots and Branches Infant Feeding, or Brandi Harrison at Birthstone in Sylva.
Summary of the Perinatal Landscape Post Helene (10/3/24)
Current conditions in Asheville
-Lack of basic utilities: many without power, no city water (weeks-months)
-Communication issues: spotty cell coverage, little internet access
-Lack of information
Prenatal care needs
-1st trimester: ideal to get some care by 12-14 weeks if able, but ok to delay if no bleeding, cramping, severe nausea/vomiting, etc. If having any of the above issues, try contacting your care provider. If you have not established with a care provider, or your provider is not available, there are various pop-up clinics setting up around the area: one in Barnardsville with Dr. R. Patel from Laurel, one in Sylva with Harris Women’s (Walk-In Clinics for any displaced pregnant people, even those not established with Harris, weekdays from 7:30-9am, & Saturday 10/5 & 10/12 from 9am-12pm), & Atrium is running an “OB/GYN Bus” with their mobile hospital “Med-1” at the equestrian park in Tryon.
-2nd trimester: ideal to get checked on every 4-6 weeks if able, even if just done virtually. Ideal to have blood pressure checked during those visits. OK to check them on a home cuff or at the pharmacy. Watch for vaginal bleeding, water leaking, baby not moving at all once they have started moving, persistent pain anywhere especially in your belly, cramping that won’t resolve with rest/fluids etc, severe headaches that won’t resolve with your usual headache measures, vision changes, sudden and severe swelling changes especially without reason. If having any of the above issues, try contacting your care provider. If your provider is not available, there are various pop-up clinics setting up around the area (see above).
-3rd trimester: ideal to be seen every 2-3 weeks if able, even if done virtually. If in your final month of pregnancy (36wks & beyond), ideal to be seen every 7-10 days, every 2-3 days if past 41wks. Ideal to have blood pressure checks (see above for ideas). Watch for vaginal bleeding, water leaking, baby not moving at all once they have started moving, persistent pain anywhere especially in your belly, cramping that won’t resolve with rest/fluids etc, severe headaches that won’t resolve with your usual headache measures, vision changes, sudden and severe swelling changes especially without reason. If having any of the above issues, try contacting your care provider. If your provider is not available, there are various pop-up clinics setting up around the area (see above).
Birth Planning
-I would not change your plans if you are in your 1st or 2nd trimester.
-If in your third trimester, start considering do you want to birth in Asheville? If not, see above for alternative care options. Things to consider: where is your family/friend support network, housing, transportation, insurance limitations (though most insurance do cross state lines during natural disasters make sure to check), care needs based on health status/risks (do you need MFM, NICU, surgery access), birth location preferences (hospital, birth center, home), provider preferences (OB/GYN, Family Doc, midwife - what type)
-If you are 34-36wks or more, I would recommend making plans to birth elsewhere if able.
-If you are unable to leave, consider conditions at your local birth locations (do they have power & water? If not, may want to consider alternate local options).
-As of 10/4/24, all hospital OB units (no word from McDowell) have power. Mission & Advent are trucking in water but have limited water. Advent is expecting running water sooner than Mission, but Mission is working on “alternate solutions for water.” Harris, Haywood, & Pardee are back to full operations.
-If considering home birth, things to consider: ideal to have power, need clean water source, cell phone &/or internet access for communication, your risk status and chance of needing resources only available at a hospital, equipment (either that you have obtained or that your care team brings), access to EMS/ambulance services during a natural disaster & their response time if needing to transfer for an emergency, transport times to your local hospital over roads in our current condition, can your closest hospital handle your needs in an emergency or are we further stressing an already stretched-thin system, your care team and their experience level/skills/preparation as well as integration with the healthcare system if needing resources outside of the home.
-In an emergency (heavy bleeding, preterm labor, trauma like falls or accidents, vomiting that won’t stop, etc), contact your provider &/or go to your closest hospital. They all will care for you, even those with limited resources. Mission still remains the hospital of choice for pregnant people in Asheville needing speciality care (MFM, NICU for the extremely premature, neonatal surgery, etc).
Postpartum/Newborn Needs
-Baby will need frequent checks every few days the first week or two until feeding is well established & they are gaining weight.
-Good to have baby checked around 2 weeks, 4-6 weeks, & 8 weeks of life.
-Birthing parent should also have access to a provider around these times for check-ins.
-Warning signs (baby): Refusal to feed, lethargy (can’t wake even with unpleasant stimuli like diaper changes), inconsolable crying, temperature fluctuations (should be about 97.5-99.5 F under the arm) not resolving with environment changes, working hard to breathe (grunting out with every breath, flaring their nostrils like a bull with every breath out, or sucking in between their ribs with every breath in), projectile vomiting (with force, think Exorcist y’all), drastic diaper changes (especially decreases in amount), skin color changes (jaundice or yellow skin).
-Warning signs (birthing person): Heavy bleeding (more than 1 overnight pad in an hour, clots larger than lemons), pain (not controlled by ibuprofen or Tylenol), fever (>100.4), redness/streaking on the breasts especially associated with chills or body aches, bleeding or discharge from cesarean incisions or vaginal lacerations, redness around cesarean incisions, swelling (especially if sudden & severe, on 1 side only, or associated with redness/heat/pain), horrible headache, vision changes, sudden and severe mood changes (panic attacks, unable to eat/drink/sleep due to fear/anxiety or persistent sadness, self-isolation, loss of interest in pleasant activities or people, etc).