Comprehensive Obstetric Care

Harmony Women's Health • Memphis, TN

Dr. Podraza's Philosophy

I believe that childbirth is probably the most personal experience that a woman can have, and I feel that it is my job to help women to be able to have the birthing experience that they dream of. I am very accommodating, and I try very hard to suggest courses of action such as fitness and flexibility for women who are very committed to a vaginal birth. I also recommend experienced doulas - because all women who are trying for unmedicated childbirth, especially first-time moms, can use help in relaxing during transition. But most of all I am patient, allowing a woman to labor naturally as long as it is safe to do so and not jumping to intervene at the first sign of slow labor progression.

And for those women who want the more traditional (by modern medical standards) birth involving induction and/or epidurals, I am also very accommodating. I continue to have a low cesarean rate for these women because I am willing to wait for the baby, help turn the baby, and assist as necessary. There is no reason to think that because you choose an epidural that you also need to choose a doctor with a high C-section rate! Medical intervention can be a good thing when needed and does not have to lead down the path to the OR.

My philosophy is simple - Do not be afraid! If you have always wanted a natural birth, you can do it, and we can help. If you want/need an epidural, I promise that I will not let it diminish your chances for a vaginal delivery.

Prenatal Care

Dr. Podraza and Hannah work cooperatively to provide prenatal care to all of our patients. We typically see low risk patients about 12 times during a pregnancy with 2-3 ultrasounds and routine testing for gestational diabetes, GBS, and other Tennessee state requirements. Most patients will see both providers at varying times throughout the pregnancy. We pride ourselves on making time for our patients and doing our best to answer all of your questions thoroughly.
Miscarriage Prevention

As a practice, we follow NaPro guidelines for checking and supplementing progesterone for all of our patients in the first trimester and beyond. This means we want you to call ASAP when you get a positive pregnancy test so that we can get you in for testing. Even if you are not an established patient, we will do our best to get you in within 24-48 hours so that we can check progesterone levels and evaluate your risk of miscarriage. We are passionate about preventing miscarriages as often as possible!
High Risk

Dr. Podraza and Hannah are very well trained in high risk pregnancy and will continue to care for you if you become a high risk patient. If a higher level of care is needed, we will work in tandem with Maternal Fetal Medicine specialists in the area to give our patients and their babies the best possible care. In almost all cases, Dr. Podraza will still be the delivering physician. Dr. Podraza is also one of the only OBGYNs in Memphis who will deliver breech babies, twin pregnancies and VBA2C pregnancies.
Labor and Delivery

When our patients are in labor, Dr. Podraza nearly always recommends a clear liquid diet combined with light snacks (that the patients should bring themselves). We like to think of labor like running a marathon – don’t get dehydrated and don’t let your blood sugar get too low, but also don’t eat anything that’s going to make you throw up. In low risk pregnancies, Dr. Podraza encourages movement, intermittent monitoring, and position changes – usually with the help of a doula – to help labor progress and to help with pain control. Alternative birthing positions are also encouraged if the patient desires.
Hospitals

Dr. Podraza is the head of obstetrics at St. Francis Park and delivers most of his patients at St. Francis. He also has privileges at both Baptist Women’s and Methodist Germantown. For now, all of his VBAC deliveries are done at Baptist or Methodist because they have a laborist in house.
Postpartum Depression Treatment

Treatment for postpartum depression/postpartum anxiety is another area that we do differently at Harmony Women’s Health. Rather than starting SSRI medications right away, we treat aggressively with bioidentical hormone therapies and herbal treatments that cure PPD/PPA very quickly and very effectively. Even mild cases can be treated with little to no side effects and without antidepressant medication. If you are experiencing any signs of postpartum depression or anxiety, don’t hesitate to call us. Even if we did not deliver your baby, we will be happy to see you and treat you in our more natural way.