The Obstetric Emergency Department (OBED) is for Inova patients experiencing obstetric emergencies during pregnancy and up to 6 weeks post partum. Like the hospital's main emergency room, the OBED is open 24 hours a day to see obstetric patients, and there will always be an obstetric provider available to evaluate you.

Your physician or midwife may refer you to the OBED for evaluation, or if you have an obstetric emergency, you can go there to be seen at any time. Once you are evaluated in the OBED, you may be admitted to the labor and delivery unit, or you may be discharged home if your condition is stable. 

OBED locations

  • Inova Women's Hospital OBED is located on the ground floor and sees patients from conception to 6 weeks postpartum
  • Inova Fair Oaks Hospital OBED is located on the third floor and sees patients from 20 weeks to 6 weeks postpartum
  • Inova Loudoun Hospital OBED is located on the second floor of the North Tower and sees patients from 20 weeks to 6 weeks postpartum

FAQs about Inova OBED services

When pregnant women come to the emergency room at more than 20 weeks pregnant, they don’t see an emergency room physician. Instead, they are brought up to the labor and delivery triage area. There, they see a highly skilled nurse and are often discharged without ever seeing a physician.

The OBED is different from the typical labor and delivery triage area because in the OBED, pregnant women will always be seen by an OB-GYN physician or certified nurse midwife (a specialized nurse practitioner) before they go home.

Inova is dedicated to providing the best care for our pregnant patients. The OBED will ensure that all pregnant patients are evaluated by a physician or certified nurse midwife before they are discharged home. This service provides a higher level of care to our patients than the typical labor and delivery triage area. The benefits are improved patient safety, increased patient satisfaction, and better outcomes for our mothers and babies.

Either your primary OB-GYN or the OB-GYN hospitalist can take care of you in the OBED. Your primary OB-GYN may have the OB-GYN hospitalist complete your evaluation when you come to the OBED, so you can avoid any delays in your care if your primary OB-GYN is not readily available. The OB-GYN hospitalist will communicate directly with your primary OB-GYN to discuss results and determine the plan of care.

OB-GYN hospitalists are board-certified OB-GYN physicians and certified nurse midwives who specialize in taking care of pregnant patients while they are in the hospital. They take care of patients in the OBED, the emergency room and the operating room.

Inova offers an OB-GYN hospitalist program to provide our patients with better access to the highest quality of care. It enables our patients to have access to an OB-GYN physician in the hospital 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. These highly skilled physicians are available for emergencies or to answer any questions about your health at any time while you’re in the hospital. The hospitalist team’s ability to respond immediately to obstetric emergencies can result in improved outcomes for mothers and babies. 

Inova's OB-GYN hospitalists are members of a team of physicians and certified nurse midwives dedicated to the hospital and committed exclusively to our patients. The OB-GYN hospitalist is always available to deliver a baby or take care of obstetric emergencies if your own provider is not able to reach the hospital in time or if you do not have a primary OB-GYN.

If the OB-GYN hospitalist team member steps in to take care of you, the OB-GYN hospitalist will make every effort to communicate with your primary OB-GYN provider. They will not replace your regular primary OB-GYN providers; the hospitalist team is there to support them. If you or your family member need to speak with the OB-GYN hospitalists during your stay, please ask the nurse to page them.

When you come to the hospital, be sure to tell the registration representative who your regular OB-GYN provider is. If your doctor is available, the OB-GYN hospitalist will contact your doctor to review your medical records and consult with your doctor about your treatment. This is similar to what happens when your primary care provider refers you to a specialist.

All patients are responsible for the cost of care they receive at Inova. As a courtesy service, Inova will file a claim with your insurance company for you when insurance information is provided and benefits are assigned to Inova. You are responsible for the payment of all balances due on your account.

Please anticipate our request for payment of copays and/or coinsurance prior to the time of service. You may receive two bills – one for the hospital’s services and one for the provider’s services. Your hospital bill includes services ordered by your doctor and provided by Inova. It may also include charges for your hospital room and board, supplies, medications, and diagnostic testing.

Each provider who treats you or provides consultation on your behalf will send you a bill separate from the bill you receive from the hospital or hospital-based outpatient department. Consulting doctors assist with your plan of care and interpret laboratory results, X-rays and other diagnostic tests requested by your doctor. You may or may not have seen these doctors personally, but their involvement in your care will be documented in your medical record. Because physicians bill separately, the hospital is unable to provide information on physicians’ fees. You can contact the physician’s office directly for this information.