Thank you for choosing The Group For Women to provide your health care needs in gynecology and obstetrics. We will do our very best to earn the trust that you have placed in us by calling for your appointment. In order to reduce your initial check in time, we request that you complete the following New Patient Forms prior to your visit. Please bring your completed forms, insurance card and driver’s license with you at the time of your visit. Please arrive 30 minutes prior to your appointment. Please complete the Medical Records request form below and deliver to your prior or referring physician to ensure we have all relevant records needed at the time of your visit with our office. Your good health will be our objective, and our goal is to make each visit a pleasant experience. Thank you for calling us and we look forward to your visit. Should you have any questions about these forms please give our office a call at 757-466-6350. New Patient Forms Medical Records Release  

The Group for Women was the first OB/GYN practice in Hampton Roads to offer on-site mental health care for its patients.  Dr. Barbara Kersey has been with the practice fulltime since 1986.  She provides individual, couple and family counseling for a variety of concerns.  These include:   Post-partum depression.  Did you know that post-partum depression is now commonly referred to as PMAD:  Post-partum mood and anxiety disorder?  Post-partum symptoms may present with a high level of anxiety or irritability in addition to depressive symptoms.  About a third of women experience post-partum mood shifts that warrant treatment with  medication, counseling, or a combination of the two.  At the 6-week post-partum visit, patients are given a questionnaire to fill out about mood fluctuations following childbirth.  If there are concerns, patients are referred to Dr. Kersey for evaluation.  Dr. Kersey works with our medical staff to provide treatment options for those who have significant mood alterations following pregnancy and childbirth. Predictors-and-Risk-Factors-February-2015 Path-to-Wellness-February-2015 Anxiety and Depression Fact Sheet   Adjustment to parenting.  Rearing children is a tough job, even under ideal circumstances.  Dr. Kersey’s education and training in child development make her well suited to talk about child-rearing concerns and the pressures of parenting in today’s busy world.  Dr. Kersey sees our patients who are single parents, stay-at-home Moms or working parents.  As a recent bestseller by Jennifer Senior points out, parenting in today’s world is often a job of All Joy and No Fun.   Couples counseling.  Did you know that romantic love was meant to end?  Mature partnership requires work to maintain and the fruits of the labor are worth it!  A passionate, intimate partnership provides fertile soil for individual growth and is the foundation for healthy family life.  Without good role models for intimate partnership, struggle in relationships is common.  Couples counseling is appropriate for premarital couples, those who wish to improve communication, or those whose relationships are in crisis.   Grief counseling.  “Every grief needs 100 tellings.”  This folk wisdom holds true in that those who have experienced loss often benefit by talking about their experience in the presence of a safe, supportive other.  Whether coping with pregnancy loss, the loss of a loved one, or losses associated with the empty nest or other developmental milestone, counseling may provide a helpful venue to make the necessary adjustments of normal grieving.   Infertility.  Dr. Kersey knows this challenge first-hand; her oldest child is an IVF miracle.  Since the birth of her daughter in 1997, Dr. Kersey has served as a consultant to the Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine, providing counseling for those who struggle with the attempt to have a child.  The stress of infertility takes an emotional toll on women and their partners; supportive counseling often provides some relief in that struggle.   Women’s Issues.  The Group for Women prides itself on treating many aspects of women’s health care.  Times of transition for women such as becoming a mother, returning to work, adjusting to an empty nest, menopause and caring for aging parents may be unsettling.  Counseling may provide useful perspectives and tools for coping.   Dr. Kersey works out of our Kempsville office and schedules her own appointments.  Most health insurance plans cover the cost of counseling.  You may reach Dr. Kersey by calling:  466-6388, x135.  

Tidewater Clinical Research, along with the providers at The Group for Women, provide patients the very latest in medical care by collaborating with pharmaceutical companies in developing new drugs and devices in the areas of Women’s Health. With 15 years of continued partnership, we have participated in new oral contraceptive, HPV, Pap smear, Overactive bladder, Urinary incontinence, endometriosis, prenatal testing, uterine fibroid, hyperactive sexual desire disorder trials and several new device trials. Study Participation Benefits YOU as a Patient. Your participation advances the field of medcine; gives you access to first rate medical care; gives you an avenue to different treatment options; gives you access to current drugs in new combinations; and participation, in some cases, may offer a “cure of last resort” when nothing else has worked. Clinical trials provide you access to new drugs before they are available in pharmacies. Our offices are generally involved in later-phase studies. These help define the exact effectiveness, as well as the often mild and rare side effects of new drugs by using them in large segments of the population having the appropriate medical condition. You can always contact Tidewater Clinical Research at 757-471-3375 for more information.

Prenatal Health The good care you provide for yourself through nutrition, exercise, vitamins and prenatal tests has a direct effect on your health and your baby. General Information Your pregnancy is unique and your experience is individual, but in a normal pregnancy there are certain changes that that are common. The more you know about the physical and emotional changes, the more likely you are to have a positive experience. Preconceptual Counseling: If you are having sex and you are capable of becoming pregnant, taking 0.4 mg of folic acid lowers the risk of birth defects. In fact, the CDC has determined that daily use of vitamin supplements containing folic acid has been demonstrated to reduce the occurrence of neural tube defects by two thirds. You shold be taking folic acid each day in case you become pregnant. Travel During Pregnancy: Traveling during pregnancy is perfectly safe to travel during the first, second and even the third trimester as long as you are not experiencing any complications and your doctor has not indicated any reasons for prohibiting travel. Weight Gain: The average recommended weight gain during pregnancy is 25 to 35 pounds, however you and your doctor should address your pregnancy uniquely. Birth Defects About 3% to 5% of babies are born with birth defects. Down Syndrome: According to the CDC, Down syndrome remains the most common chromosomal condition diagnosed in the United States. Each year, about 6,000 babies born in the United States have Down syndrome. This means that Down syndrome occurs in about 1 out of every 700 babies. Chorionic Villus Sampling Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) is a procedure used to diagnose certain birth defects in the first trimester of pregnancy. The test has been performed regularly since 1982, and thousands have been performed around the world. Amniocentesis: Amniocentesis is a procedure performed on pregnant women in their second trimester to diagnose or rule out birth defects. The consumption of vitamin A at levels at/or above 10,000 IU (200% of the Daily Value, or DV), or 3000 Retinol equivalents (REs), can be linked to some types of birth defects.  This has raised serious public health concerns. Prenatal Testing A variety of prenatal tests are available. While not all patients need or will have all the various tests, it is good to know that they are available. Home pregnancy kits provide privacy and fast results, and can detect pregnancy as early as 6 days after conception, or 1 day after a missed menstrual period. Alpha-Fetoprotein Test: The AFP test identifies pregnancies at higher-than-average risk of certain serious birth defects, such as spina bifida (open spine) and Down syndrome. Fetal Well-Being Tests: These tests are designed to evaluate the status of the placenta and whether or not oxygen and nutrition transferred to the fetus are being affected. Triple Screen Test: The Triple Screen is a prenatal blood test that measures alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), and unconjugated estriol (uE3). The test is performed between the 12th and 19th week of pregnancy to provide you and your doctor valuable information about you and your growing fetus. Ultrasound Pregnancy: ultrasound is a method of imaging the fetus and the female pelvic organs during pregnancy. The ultrasound machine sends out high-frequency sound waves, which reflect off body structures to create a picture. Non-Invasive Prenatal Test (NIPT):  genetic testing using cell-free fetal DNA that circulates in maternal blood.  The test can be done as early as 10 weeks of pregnancy to detect Trisomy 21 (Down syndrome) and many more chromosomal abnormalities. This test is only indicated for high risk pregnancies such as: personal or family history of aneuploidy, advance maternal age, an abnormal serum screen and/or abnormal ultrasound.  Nutrition When you are pregnant, everything you eat and drink affects you and your growing baby, so eating a well-balanced diet becomes even more important. Healthcare officials have issued a new advisory on the dangers of eating fish. Healthcare officials are concerned that the level of mercury in fish might pose certain risks to a developing fetus. Food can be contaminated with a bacteria called Listeria. Learn to protect your food against this common bacteria. 10 must have foods during Pregnancy: Milk and Milk Products Vegetables Fruits Poultry and Fish Legumes Cereals and Grains Fats and Oils Dry Fruits and Nuts Bread Salt

High-risk pregnancies can be challenging and stressful before, during and after delivery. You and your baby may need special monitoring, testing and care. Knowing what to expect can alleviate some of the anxiety. What Causes a High-Risk Pregnancy? In some cases, medical conditions may exist prior to a woman becoming pregnant that put her in a high-risk category. In other cases, the mother or baby may become high risk due to a condition that develops during the pregnancy. Specific factors that might contribute to a high-risk pregnancy include: Advanced maternal age. If a woman is 35 years old or older, and this is her first pregnancy, she may carry it through normally but research indicates she may be at higher risk for abnormal bleeding, prolonged labor, labor that doesn’t advance, or having a baby with a genetic disorder. Lifestyle choices. Women who smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol and use illegal drugs can put their pregnancy at risk. Medical history. While not always true for every mother, conditions such as a prior C-section, low birth weight baby or preterm birth — birth before 37 weeks of pregnancy —may increase the risks for subsequent pregnancies. Other risk factors include certain genetic conditions, a history of pregnancy loss or the death of a baby shortly after birth. Underlying conditions. Chronic conditions — such as diabetes, high blood pressure and epilepsy — increase pregnancy risks. A blood condition, such as anemia, an infection or an underlying mental health condition also can increase pregnancy risks. Pregnancy complications. Various complications that develop during pregnancy pose risks, such as problems with the uterus, cervix or placenta. Severe morning sickness that continues past the first trimester can pose a threat. Other concerns might include too much or too little amniotic fluid, restricted fetal growth or Rh (rhesus) sensitization — a potentially serious condition that can occur when your blood group is Rh negative and your baby’s blood group is Rh positive. Multiple pregnancy. Pregnancy risks are higher for women carrying twins or higher order multiples. Overdue pregnancy. You might face additional risks if your pregnancy continues too long beyond the due date.