Helpful Pregnancy Information

Welcome to My ObGyn while Pregnant

Welcome to My ObGyn! Thank you for choosing us for your prenatal care.


Our mission is to provide experienced, dignified, and personalized medical care for women. We are a small Practice of three Physicians and one Certified Nurse Midwife. Drs. Cat Coffman and Kevin Tool provide a full spectrum of Obstetric and Gynecologic care. Alyssa Starkson, CNM, is experienced at providing prenatal care, doing vaginal deliveries, postpartum care, and non-surgical gynecologic care. Dr. Karen Hayes is semi-retired and is providing outpatient care and assisting in surgery, but is no longer doing primary surgery or delivering babies.


Since we are a small clinic, we encourage you to see Dr. Coffman, Dr. Tool, and Midwife Alyssa during your prenatal care. We cannot guarantee which provider will be caring for you during your delivery, so we encourage you to get to know them all.


Our providers have over 60 years of combined experience. We respect each patient as an individual and will always provide evidence-based care personalized to your needs.

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Plan on meeting with Kimberly, our office manager, around 16-20 weeks to discuss Global Billing

  • Amniotic fluid:

    If you have a slow,, steady watery discharge that does not seem to be urine, or if you have a sudden gush of fluid, this could be your amniotic fluid. It would be better to call if these symptoms arise rather than wait for your regularly scheduled appointment.

  • Bleeding:

    Bleeding could be a sign of a pregnancy complication. Specifically, if bleeding is bright red, heavy, with clots, or associated with pain, then it would be important to contact your healthcare provider.

  • Contractions or Cramping:

    Irregular discomforts or contractions are common in pregnancy. If you notice painful and more regular contractions, then it would be best to begin to time them. If you are <37 weeks, then these are preterm contractions. If you note >6 painful contractions/ hour, please notify your health care provider. If you are greater than 37 weeks, then you are considered term and are monitoring for labor contractions. If you note contractions to be spaced approximately 5 minutes from the start of one contraction to the start of the next contraction, the contractions last for about one minute and the pattern persists for an hour (This is also known as the “5-1-1” rule); then you should call your healthcare provider.

  • Decreased fetal movement:

    If the baby’s movement is less than typically noted, then it would be recommended to lie on your side and monitor movement. If there are noted to be < 10 movements in 2 hours, then you need to contact your healthcare provider. It is best not to wait until your regularly scheduled appointment.

  • Elevated blood pressure:

    Preeclampsia or gestational hypertension  are hypertensive disorders of pregnancy that should warrant evaluation from your healthcare team. Signs or symptoms of pre-eclampsia could include:

    • Sudden increase in swelling (especially in the face or hands or if there is a sudden and significant increase in weight)
    • Headache that does not improve with Tylenol
    • Vision changes (specifically large spot in the visual field)
    • Pain in the abdomen (especially under the R breast)
    • Home blood pressure >140/90 (very concerning if > 160/110

  • Fever:

    If you note BP >100.4 or have other symptoms of sickness or infection. Tylenol is a safe medication to take during pregnancy, but the dose should not exceed 4000mg in 24h. The care is often supportive, including increasing fluids, a cool shower, and over-the-counter medications. If fever persists despite the above interventions, then please contact your healthcare provider.

What's my Risk?

Maternal Age at Delivery Risk of Trisomy 21 Risk of any chronosomal abnormality
20 1/1,667 1/562
22 1/1,429 1/500
24 1/1,250 1/476
26 1/1,176 1/476
27 1/1,111 1/455
28 1/1,053 1/435
29 1/1,000 1/417
30 1/952 1/385
31 1/909 1/385
32 1/769 1/322
33 1/602 1/286
34 1/485 1/238
35 1/378 1/192
36 1/289 1/156
37 1/224 1/127
38 1/173 1/102
39 1/136 1/83
40 1/106 1/66
41 1/82 1/53
42 1/63 1/42
43 1/49 1/33
44 1/38 1/36
45 1/30 1/21
46 1/23 1/16
47 1/18 1/13
48 1/14 1/10
49 1/11 1/8

Fetal Genetic Testing

  • 9-10+ Weeks

    Cell Free Fetal DNA "MaterniT21"

    • Fetal cells circulating in maternal blood.
    • Screens for Down Syndrome, Trisomies 18 and 13
    • Detection rates 99% (False Positive 0.1%)

  • 11-14 Weeks

    First Trimester Screen

    • US (Nuchal Translucency), and bloodwork (hCG and PAPP-A)
    •  Screen for Down Syndrome, Trisomy 18
    • Detection rates 83% (False Positive 5%)

  • 15-22 Weeks

    Quad Screen

    • Blood work (AFP, Estrol, hCG, Inhibin A)
    • Screens for Down Syndrome, Trisomy 18, and Spina Bifida
    • Detection rates 70-80% (False Positive 5%)

  • 16 Weeks

    AFP Screen

    • 1 in 1,000 pregnancies are affected
    • Spontaneous failure of neural tube closure during early embryonic development
    • Open body wall defects
    • Measures Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP)

  • Parental Carrier Screening

    Systic Fibrosis

    • Rare pulmonary disease
    • 1 in 2,500 births
    • Most common genetic disorder
    • CF causes mucus build-up in the lungs and pancreas
    • Results in infertility

    Spinal Muscular Atrophy

    • Rare neuromuscular disease
    • 1 in 6,000 births
    • SMA can cause profound breathing issues, severe muscular weakness, and irriversable loss of nerves in the spine.
    • Onset weakness can start at birth and up to adulthood
    • Major cause of death in infancy

Headaches and Migraines

Two Protocols


  1. Prevention of frequent headaches
  • Magnesium Oxide 400mg, two times per day
  • Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) 200mg, two times per day
  1. Treatment of an active headache:
  • Benadryl 25-50mg (if you do not need to drive or be alert)
  • Tylenol 650-1000mg
  • Magnesium Oxide 900mg (may make bowels loose, pull back on the dosing if this occurs)


May add Phenegran or Zofran as needed if nausea is present with the headache.

Approved Over-the-Counter Medications in Pregnancy

  • Headache

    • Tylenol
    • Benedryl

  • Heartburn

    • Pepcid
    • Tagamet
    • Tums
    • Prilosec

  • Cold or Allergies

    • Chlortrimeton
    • Claritin
    • Robitussin Plain
    • EmergenC
    • Mucinex
    • Benedryl
    • Zyrtec
    • Rhinocort

  • Constipation

    • Colace
    • Milk of Magnesia
    • Miralax
    • Metamucil

  • Gas

    • Simethicone

  • Diarrhea

    • Imodium
    • Kaopectate

  • Hemerroids

    • Dermoplast
    • Witch Hazel
    • Preparation H
    • Tucks Pads

  • Iron Supplement

    • Slow Fe

  • Nausea

    • Vitamin B6; 10-15mg, 3 - 4 times a day
    • Unisom; 25mg, 1/2 - 1 tablet  at night

Patient Preview Hospital Tour

Online live virtual Parent Preview tours available. You can learn about the hospital you will be delivering at through this informative virtual tour on Teams hosted by UCHealth Childbirth Educators. Call 970-495-7500 for additional information or special tour requests.


Tours are free, but registration is required.


The evening tours are virtual and offered twice a month. The dates and times are listed on the website HERE. In the search box, type "Parent Preview Tour PVH