Women’s Health Care

Broadlawns Medical Center is committed to helping women of all ages get the health services and care they need at every stage of their lives. We have developed several programs that provide a range of options to serve the varied needs of women in Polk County. 

The Women’s Health Center at Broadlawns provides specialized care and counseling in family planning, obstetrics and gynecology.

Many women of all ages choose to receive skilled, compassionate care from the family medicine physicians at Broadlawns Family Health Clinic, where our physicians serve as primary care providers for the entire family. Female patients with chronic or other specific conditions may be referred to the Internal Medicine Clinic and choose to continue seeing the providers to whom they are referred. Additionally, the Walk In Clinic is available for anyone who needs to see a doctor right away.

Family Planning

The Family Planning Clinic at Broadlawns offers specialized services and care for women in their reproductive years and beyond, including:

• Female reproductive system exams
• Pap smears (including follow-up testing or procedures) 
• Breast exams 
• Birth control counseling
• Emergency contraception 
• Healthy sexual relationship counseling
• Pregnancy options 
• Pregnancy tests
• Infertility testing 
• Sexually transmitted disease testing and treatment for women and men

Clinic Hours
Monday through Friday:    8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

To schedule an appointment, call: 515.282.2331

Obstetrical and Prenatal Care

The Obstetrics and Prenatal Clinic provides comprehensive care to childbearing women. Services include:

• Prenatal care for low-risk pregnancies 
• Prenatal care for high-risk pregnancies
• Prenatal education 
• Postnatal care after delivery

Patients who enroll in a Broadlawns Medical Center’s prenatal care program are invited to attend free classes on a number of topics during their pregnancy. Led by the professional nursing staff of the Obstetrics Clinic and the Family Birthing Center, the classes cover:

• Early pregnancy
• Prepared childbirth 
• Breast feeding 
• Baby care
   

Expectant mothers who have special needs for transportation, food, housing, clothing and baby care items receive assistance from a medical social worker at the clinic.

In addition, patients may be referred to nutrition specialists for assistance and education regarding dietary questions and special needs.

• Nutritionists will help patients with general dietary questions
• Nutritionists will provide patient education regarding the risks involved with diabetes, gestational diabetes, anorexia and bulimia
• WIC (a program for women, infants and children) provides special supplemental nutrition education and information

Clinic Hours
Monday:          8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Friday:             8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Tuesday:            Closed
Wednesday       Closed
Thursday            Closed

To schedule an appointment, call: 515.282.2228

Gynecological Services

The Gynecology Clinic offers a wide range of services for women, including:

• Physical exams 
• Breast exams 
• Pap smears 
• Sexually transmitted disease testing and treatment for women and men
• Pregnancy tests 
• Contraception treatment and education 
• Infertility testing and treatment 
• Stress incontinence and bladder dysfunction treatments
• Other medical and surgical treatment following evaluation and diagnostic testing

Clinic Hours
Wednesday:   8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Friday:  1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

To schedule an appointment, call 515.282.2331

 
Other Women’s Health Care Services

Mammography

Women can schedule a mammogram at the Broadlawns Medical Center Patricia R. Grubb Mammography Center, located in the Imaging Services Department. Regular mammograms are an important part of preventive health care for women aged 40 years and older. Most insurance plans cover the cost of a mammogram, and free or low-cost mammograms are available for women with limited income or insurance.

Broadlawns Medical Center now offers the newest and most advanced digital technology in breast cancer screening and prevention.  We are proud to offer 3D Tomosynthesis Mammography which provides enhanced diagnostic quality when compared to screenings by other digital or traditional filming equipment. 3D Tomosynthesis allows the radiologist to scan through the breast tissue layers where other screening methods only show a one dimensional image of all tissue pressed into a one dimensional view plane.  The new Hologic 3D Tomosynthesis system allows us to "peel back" the image layers looking at each slice independently which results in an exam quality other units lack. In dense tissue or individuals with abnormal exam history, it is easier to separate out abnormal findings with 3D Tomosynthesis.  To make an appointment please contact 515-282-2309.

Mammography Center Hours
Monday through Friday:     7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 

To schedule an appointment, call 515.282.2309

Family Birthing Center – Inpatient Unit

The Family Birthing Center at Broadlawns Medical Center offers single room maternity care where women can labor, deliver, recover and stay after delivery—with their new baby—all in the same comfortable, private room. In the intimacy of a smaller setting, both mothers and babies receive personal, one-on-one nursing care.

The nurses and providers in the Obstetrics Clinic also serve in the Family Birthing Center, ensuring continuity of care for our mothers-to-be. Surrounded by the comfortable familiarity of care relationships that have developed during pregnancy, our mothers receive the same compassionate, competent care they’ve come to know and trust.

Before a mother and newborn leave Broadlawns, we will schedule the baby’s first check-up in Broadlawns Pediatric Clinic or Family Health Center.

For more information or a tour, call 515.282.2260

WIC Program

Broadlawns Medical Center has a longstanding relationship with WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children. WIC is a federally funded nutrition program for children up to the age of five, as well as for women who are pregnant, postpartum or breastfeeding and meet eligibility guidelines. WIC provides food assistance, nutrition education and referrals for family-related services.

The WIC program is located in Broadlawns Medical Center’s River Plaza Office.
2300 Euclid Avenue, Suite D.
Des Moines, IA 50310

Program Hours
Monday through Friday:    8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

For eligibility information, call 515.282.5800