MemorialCare Family Residency Program Redefines Maternal Healthcare, Training the Next Generation of Doctors

For more than 50 years, the maternity care program has been a crucial component of the six specialized areas of care through the family residency program at MemorialCare’s Long Beach Medical Center and Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach.

Dr. Rose Swords serves as the faculty director for the maternity care program, where she teaches maternity care residents to perform low-risk obstetric procedures for community patients. This comprehensive training includes areas such as abortion care, birth control, fetal strip rounds and delivery.

From preconception to birth, the maternity care program ensures expecting mothers receive holistic and personalized care in a safe and welcoming environment. The program’s maternal health resources guarantee a comprehensive approach to maternal care focused on the well-being of both mother and baby.

The program collaborates care with the Cherese Mari Laulhere BirthCare Center at Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach as they not only enhance the quality and reach of maternal health services but also play a crucial role in training the next generation of health care professionals, where residents benefit from hands-on experience in a variety of obstetric procedures.

This collaborative approach ensures that trainees receive comprehensive and specialized instruction, equipping them with the skills needed to provide exceptional care. The integrated training includes areas such as prenatal care, birth control, fetal monitoring, delivery and postnatal support.

One of the key pillars of the maternity care program is creating a safe environment for expecting moms. The program collaborates with other community programs such as the welcome baby program and Black infant program. These programs represent the commitment to acceptance, safety and inclusion to ensure maternal care is accessible and consistent for mothers of all backgrounds.

“Being able to provide moms a safe environment where they feel accepted and can trust their care team throughout their pregnancy journey is the main goal of the maternity care program,” says Rose Swords, M.D., faculty maternity care director, MemorialCare Family Residency Long Beach.

Annually, the family residency program receives an influx of over one thousand applications.Thanks to the significant advancements in the field of family medicine, the program offers its residents exceptional training opportunities in other specialized areas to provide compassionate care and treatment to the Long Beach community.