CMG Forest Women's Center

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CMG Forest Women's Center

Centra Medical Group Women’s Center, located in Forest, Virginia, was established in 1997 and joined the Centra Medical Group in 2009. Serving the Bedford and Lynchburg area, the Certified Nurse-Midwives at Centra Medical Group Women's Center are committed to providing the highest quality gynecologic (GYN) and obstetric (OBGYN) care to women of all ages. Patients are seen for routine appointments in our office in Forest and births are attended at The Birth Center at Centra Virginia Baptist Hospital. Our certified nurse-midwives provide gentle, personalized care for girls and women from puberty through menopause. Appointments are available for well-woman exams, pelvic pain, menstrual issues, birth control, infertility, hormone replacement, menopause symptoms, preconception, and pregnancy/postpartum care.

If you are a new patient or coming for your annual exam or first OB ultrasound visit:

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What is a Certified Nurse-Midwife?

Midwives are Advanced Practice Providers specifically trained in the care of women in both nursing and midwifery. Nurse-midwives are licensed to provide prenatal care and perform deliveries, but also provide gynecologic care from adolescence to menopause. Teaching women how to prevent disease and maintain good health throughout their lives is at the core of nurse-midwifery care.  Nurse-midwives believe in each individual woman's freedom to experience pregnancy in a safe, satisfying and supportive environment. It is the hope and philosophy of nurse-midwives to provide loving, educated and competent prenatal (OB) care.

What services does a Certified Nurse-Midwife offer?

Gynecology Care

  • Pap smear
  • Pelvic Exam
  • Breast Exam
  • Contraception
  • Menstrual Irregularity
  • Vaginal Infections/STD Diagnosis & Treatment
  • PMS/PMDD (Premenstrual Syndrome/Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder)
  • Menopausal Disorders
  • Infertility

Obstetrical Care

  • Preconception Care
  • Prenatal Care
  • CenteringPregnancy (more information below)
  • Labor Support
  • Deliveries attended at Centra Virginia Baptist Hospital
  • Postpartum Care and Support

On-site Medical Services

  • Well Woman Annual Exams inclusive of Pap Smears
  • Comprehensive Prenatal Care
  • CenteringPregnancy Program
  • Labor & Post-partum Support
  • Deliveries at The Birth Center at Virginia Baptist Hospital
  • Social Support for Cesarean Delivery
  • All Family Planning Methods
  • STD Testing and Counseling
  • Preconception Counseling
  • Mammogram Referral
  • Osteoporosis Evaluation and Counseling
  • Diagnosis and Treatment of Vaginitis
  • Menopausal Care
  • 24/7 MD Consultation and Collaboration

Transfer Patients

Pregnant patients who have established care elsewhere and wish to be seen at our office must provide complete copies of their prenatal records prior to making their first appointment for approval. Please contact your current provider to sign the required release forms and have them sent to us at least 2 weeks prior to needing your next prenatal appointment.

Telephone Calls

Calls received during office hours will be directed to leave a message and a practitioner or nurse will return your call within 24 hours. If you think you may be in labor or have an urgent pregnancy-related question, please indicate so to our receptionist. After hours you may page our midwife on call by dialing 434.200.7475. Enter 2762 and the number you would like to be called. In case of a life-threatening emergency and you cannot contact a practitioner immediately, go directly to the emergency department, or call 9-1-1.

Medication and Prescription Refills

Contact your pharmacy to request your prescription refill(s). The pharmacy will then submit a request to our office. If your prescription requires provider approval, you must make a request for a refill before your prescription runs out. We cannot guarantee refills on prescriptions and your provider may also request that you be seen by appointment before a prescription can be refilled. Routine prescriptions will not be refilled on weekends or after hours.

Insurance and Payments

Our office participates in most commercial insurance plans. Many insurance companies require copayments as part of your coverage agreement. Copayments, including outstanding amounts owed, are due upon check-in. Please bring your insurance card(s) and a photo ID to each appointment so that we can confirm that we have the most up-to-date information in our records. This will also ensure your claims are filed properly.

Should you have any billing questions, please contact Customer Service.

Centra's Customer Service Telephone Number: 434-200-3777 or 877-908-8707
Customer Service Fax Number: 434.200.6478
Important Emails: Billing.info@centrahealth.com

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Learn More About CenteringPregnancy - Group Prenatal Care

Learn More About CenteringPregnancy - Group Prenatal Care
Learn More About CenteringPregnancy - Group Prenatal Care

CenteringPregnancy - Group Prenatal Care

- Centra Medical Group Women's Center , 2015

Inside a large conference room, expectant mothers discuss nutrition, breastfeeding and exercise with a certified nurse-midwife. The skilled provider tosses out topics as the women take turns offering insight and encouragement. This is CenteringPregnancy, a group pre-natal care model mixing education classes with monthly exams at Centra Medical Group Women’s Center.

“We’ve taught group classes for years through the Centra Center for Childbirth and Family Education,” Centra Medical Group Women’s Center manager Peggy Karpenske, RN, said. “This is different. We aren’t teaching the class; we’re facilitating the discussion. There is a group dynamic and support from other women in the same pregnancy stage.”

CenteringPregnancy is a unique care model, catching on fast across the country. Born out of frustration over short appointment times, the program gives midwives more one-on-one time with each patient. “In traditional care, an appointment lasts 15 minutes. The time feels rushed for the patient and for the care provider,” Karpenske said. “One of the advantages of centering is giving the patients two hours a month with their certified nurse-midwife.”

Groups are formed after the first trimester with eight to 12 ladies – all at the same pregnancy stage – meeting at each visit for two hours. The first 30 minutes includes private, individual check-ups, allowing patients to ask questions and listen to the baby’s heartbeat. As women rotate through exams, the rest of the group records their blood pressure and weight in a pregnancy journal.

The final 90 minutes revolves around a group topic (nutrition, exercise, breastfeeding or childbirth preparation), allowing women to learn from the certified nurse-midwife and each other. CenteringPregnancy includes 10, two-hour sessions designed to enhance pre-natal care and education with mothers meeting in a comfortable setting, discussing their pregnancies and enjoying healthy snacks and water.

“Our patients get to talk through things rather than feeling rushed. These women form close bonds during the sessions, which sometimes last long after they’ve given birth to their babies,” Karpenske said.

CenteringPregnancy is a voluntary program. The practice still provides traditional care with monthly appointments with a certified nurse midwife. “This program is about offering much deeper support to expectant mothers,” Karpenske said. “Expectant moms go through a range of emotions and CenteringPregnancy offers another layer of encouragement and education.”

Fathers are encouraged to attend CenteringPregnancy, which also includes a reunion with parents and newborns after the program ends. Karpenske hopes to have 120 women – or 40 percent of patients – enroll in the new program this year.

Healthy pregnancies and newborns is the heartbeat of CenteringPregnancy, which provides education to make healthy lifestyle choices, curb smoking habits and lower obesity rates. “We are continuing to see increased obesity rates, which lead to chronic problems among mothers and newborns,” Karpenske said.

Research shows group pre-natal care decreases premature births and low birth weights and increases breastfeeding rates. “CenteringPregnancy is an innovative program, but it is also evidence-based,” Karpenske said. “It really increases healthy outcomes.”

Across the country, CenteringPregnancy energizes moms looking for heightened support, education and encouragement. “We want to empower women to take ownership of their healthcare,” Karpenske said. “Everyone in the group is experiencing the same thing in the same point of their pregnancy. CenteringPregnancy is pre-natal care at its best."