Pregnancy is a beautiful experience — but it’s also full of inconvenience and discomfort. Having to squeeze shoes on your swollen feet, take time off work, and drive to your OB/GYN appointment is just one more necessary inconvenience.
Or is it?
Dr. Rad’s at-home OB/GYN care
Los Angeles’s top maternal-fetal medicine specialist, Dr. Steve Rad, can provide pregnancy care in the comfort of your own home — no shoes required! As a perinatologist, Dr. Rad specializes in high-risk pregnancy care. Traditional prenatal care recommends at least 14 in-person visits; high-risk care often requires extra visits, tests, and monitoring to ensure the well-being of you and your baby.
Our high-risk mothers-to-be usually need extra rest in addition to increased monitoring, so trekking into the clinic multiple times a month is less than ideal. Luckily, there is plenty of prenatal and postpartum care we can provide during an OB/GYN home visit.
What is a high-risk pregnancy?
About 8% of pregnancies in the US are “high-risk.” And what starts out as an “easy” pregnancy can easily become high risk.
Some of the most common risk factors for a high-risk pregnancy are pre-existing medical conditions such as high blood pressure (hypertension) and diabetes. Pregnant women can also develop complications during pregnancy such as preeclampsia and gestational diabetes.
There is a myriad of reasons a pregnancy might be high risk. That’s why we recommend preconception counseling for all parents-to-be. Our expert care team goes over every new patient’s personal and family medical history. This allows us to predict possible pregnancy complications. We may also provide a referral for genetic counseling if there is a family history of genetic abnormalities.
Can I have OB/GYN virtual visits?
Virtual care has gained popularity among healthcare providers in recent years, allowing patients to access healthcare services without having to travel to a doctor’s office or hospital. But can obstetric care be provided virtually?
Sometimes! With appropriate tools, patients can self-monitor blood pressure and blood sugar levels and share their results during telehealth visits. While testing such as amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling have to be done in-office, follow-up conversations can be done during telemedicine visits.
Many women prefer to have their pregnancy check-ins virtually when possible as they worry about infectious diseases at hospitals.
Call (844) 473-6100 or click here to schedule online
What care can I receive at home?
While testing and imaging can’t be performed via telehealth visits, we can perform some of them in-home. Our specialty care team can take vitals for you and the fetus during home visits. We may also be able to perform non-stress tests or ultrasound imaging in your home, as well as administering fluids or medication.
Are home births safe?
Some low-risk deliveries may be performed safely at home with midwives. Dr. Rad works with many midwives and doulas in greater Los Angeles as back up for at-home deliveries and accepts transfers of care to the hospital if necessary. Dr. Rad is an advocate of supporting all types of birth’s and birth plans for his patients. He routinely sees women who are planning births at home in our office or their home for home care.
For high-risk parents — especially those with fetal abnormalities, maternal diseases, preeclampsia, seizure disorders, or placental, cervical, or amniotic fluid complications — the hospital is the safest place to give birth. The same applies for preterm labor, multiple gestations (twins, triplets, etc.), or fetal abnormalities.
In the hospital setting, Dr. Rad supports natural births, gentle c-sections, and birth plans for both low-risk and high-risk pregnancies. He personalizes and prepares together with each patient and family with shared decision-making. Check out our sections on births for more information about Dr. Rad’s approach and philosophy.
Why choose Dr. Steve Rad and the Los Angeles Fetal and Maternal Care Center?
Did you know that all pregnancies in the United States are at risk of becoming high-risk? Even a pregnancy that begins “low-risk” can become high-risk. That is no secret to double-board certified Dr. Steve Rad, an Obstetrician-Gynecologist with sub-specialty training in Maternal-Fetal Medicine / Perinatology.
Dr. Rad has been named a top MFM specialist in Los Angeles by Los Angeles Magazine for six years in a row.
Dr. Rad has undergone rigorous training with high honors at renowned institutions including the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, USC, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and UCSF Medical Center, as well as centers internationally in London, Austria, Israel, and Africa.
Dr. Rad is passionate about obstetrics and gynecology while using his proficiency to guide high-risk mothers with prenatal testing, special monitoring, and diligent care during their pregnancy up to and including the birth of their baby.
Dr. Rad and his OB/GYN team understand your information needs before, during, and after birth. We help you understand your pregnancy, answer all your questions, and provide the emotional support and means to safely navigate your pregnancy.
Call us at (844) 473-6100 or schedule your consultation online. We are currently accepting new patients.
We are conveniently located for patients throughout Southern California and the Los Angeles area at locations in or near Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, West Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Culver City, Hollywood, Venice, Marina del Rey, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, Newport Beach, Irvine, and Downtown Los Angeles. We also offer in-home prenatal care and a fly-in program for out-of-town and international patients. Dr. Rad even travels to patients who need him throughout the U.S. and around the world.
If you can’t make it to Dr. Rad, he also offers virtual consultations worldwide.
Call (844) 473-6100 or click here to schedule online
At home prenatal care FAQs
When does an at home pregnancy test work?
Home pregnancy tests typically work by detecting the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone produced by the placenta shortly after implantation of a fertilized egg in the uterus. Most home pregnancy tests are designed to be used after a missed period, which is typically around two weeks after conception. However, some tests may be able to detect hCG levels earlier, potentially as early as a few days before the expected period.
What percent of women give birth at home?
The percentage of women giving birth at home varies widely depending on factors such as cultural norms, access to healthcare, and availability of skilled birth attendants. In many industrialized countries, home births are relatively uncommon, with the majority of women choosing to give birth in hospitals or birth centers where medical care and interventions are readily available.
However, home birth rates may be higher in some regions or communities where there is a strong preference for natural childbirth and where home birth attendants, such as midwives or doulas, are accessible and well-regulated.
Can you get an epidural at a home birth?
No. During a home birth, pain management options are limited to non-pharmacological methods such as relaxation techniques, massage, hydrotherapy (e.g., water immersion), and breathing exercises. Some women also choose to use nitrous oxide (laughing gas) for pain relief during home births, although its availability may vary depending on local regulations and the practices of individual midwives or birthing attendants.
