Whether this is your first pregnancy or not, it is very important during your first trimester to schedule a visit with your healthcare provider. That first visit with an obstetrician or gynecologist will help keep you and your baby healthy. As soon as you suspect that you are pregnant, you are encouraged to schedule that appointment: Every pregnancy is unique!

In rural areas, it can be challenging to find a healthcare provider close to where you live, and often pregnant women and new moms must make long commutes to see their providers. Good news for women who live in and around Questa and in Taos, Colfax, Union, Mora, or Harding counties—this will no longer be an issue!

The Questa Health Center has coordinated with Holy Cross Women’s Health Institute in Taos to bring prenatal care to Questa, so you can now schedule an appointment with an OB or midwife and not have to drive to Taos. Not only can you visit your OB in Questa, but the Questa Health Center has procured state-of-the-art pregnancy-related equipment, including a new ultrasound machine, vitals machine, and fetal heart rate monitor.

Pregnant women in northeastern New Mexico, you will also have access to other services related to maternal services:

• Home Telehealth Kits (including a free tablet). Meet with your prenatal practitioner from home! The telehealth kits include automatic reporting of blood pressure, oxygen, and weight, plus a glucometer and fetal heart rate monitor, as well as educational videos and reminders. Telehealth visits are not meant to replace your important in-person visits, but will help with additional monitoring to make sure mom and baby are both healthy.
• Free Family Navigator Assistance. Angel Medina from Questa is here to help pregnant women and new families access free services in the Questa area. If you live in Taos County and you would like more information about how a family navigator can support your family, you can call Maija Santistevan at (575) 779-4043, and she will connect you with resources.
• Free Breastfeeding Consultations. A consultant will be available to you for prenatal lactation consultations for as long as you need breastfeeding support or are experiencing challenges. Call Jana Bailey, RN, IBCLC, LLCP at (575) 770-8558.

Prenatal and pregnancy-related appointments in Questa can be scheduled by calling the Women’s Health Institute at (575) 758-5001.

These services and partnerships are established by the ROAMS (Rural Ob Access & Maternal Services) program. ROAMS is working to improve maternal health and to make it easier for pregnant women to access prenatal and labor services in northeastern New Mexico.

For more information, visit PregnantNM.com.

ROAMS is a program of: Holy Cross First Steps • Holy Cross Medical Center • Miners Colfax Medical Center • NM State Medicaid Presbyterian Medical Services Questa Health Center • Union County General Hospital • Envision NM 2.0, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Adolescent Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center

ROAMS is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration of the US Department of Health and Human Services as part of a financial assistance award totaling $2,982,779.00 with 100% percentage funded by HRSA/HHS. Contact CDurocher@TaosHospital.org, 1397 Weimer Road, Taos, NM 87571: www.roamsnm.org

The contents of this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA/HHS, or the US Government.