Frequently asked questions

Millie is a new kind of maternity clinic that offers complete, collaborative, and culturally sensitive care from pregnancy through labor & delivery, postpartum, and beyond. For a deeper dive into what makes our care model unique, check out our about page!

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We also offer in-person and virtual gynecology care including annual wellness exams, birth control, and more. 

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Our clinic is located in Berkeley, CA at 2999 Regent St, Suite #524. Stay tuned for announcements about more locations across the Bay Area and other markets.

Yes! You can book appointments at our Berkeley clinic or for our virtual services on our Services page. Sign up for our email list and be the first to know when we add additional services and locations!

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Millie's clinic-based services are currently limited to California. Our virtual care providers for preconception counseling and mental health are currently licensed to provide personalized medical advice and write lab / medication prescriptions only for California residents, but they can provide helpful guidance around relevant care options for non-California residents. Our other virtual care services are available nationally.

Please email us anytime at support@millieclinic.com and we’ll get back to you ASAP.

For a deeper dive into what makes our care model unique, check out our about page!

We are committed to making better care accessible for all. Please write to us at support@millieclinic.com.

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Certified Nurse Midwife

There are many types of midwives, but at Millie, we employ Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs). CNMs are medical experts who are trained and licensed as both Registered Nurses and Midwives. They are known for their intimate knowledge of pregnancy and the labor process, and their minimal-intervention approach that promotes physiological birth. 

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Extensive clinical research shows that CNMs are the ideal care provider for low-to-moderate risk pregnancies in terms of positive birth outcomes. They are trained to meet 80% of the clinical needs that come up during pregnancy and childbirth. In fact, they are the primary frontline care providers for maternity care in countries like the UK, Canada, Germany, and Israel. In the United States, CNMs are often seen working alongside OB GYN care for low-to-moderate risk pregnancies in progressive hospitals around the country. 

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OBGYN

OB GYNs are medical doctors and surgeons who are extensively trained to perform procedures such as cesarean delivery, vacuum or forcep deliveries and gynecologic procedures like hysterectomies. They are the ideal clinician when the pregnancy requires a higher level of care. Some OBGYNs go on to further specialize in the treatment of medical complications associated with high risk pregnancies, and are called Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) specialists or perinatologists.

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Why both matter 

OBGYNs and midwives bring different skills and perspectives to the table, but they have the same overarching goal: healthy pregnancies, safe births, and healthy babies. How much of which type of care provider you need really depends on what your pregnancy needs. 

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The vast majority of pregnancies (an estimated 80-85%) are considered “low risk”, with Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) as the ideal care provider for the best outcomes. CNMs specialize in holistic pregnancy care and physiologic birth. 

At Millie, we therefore believe that: 1) everyone needs a midwife, 2) some people need an OBGYN too, and 3) everyone should have access to both.

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What does this look like in practice? When you establish care at Millie, you will meet with one of our CNMs. You can choose who to work with, and they will be your primary clinician over the course of your pregnancy care. 

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If your pregnancy is considered higher risk, your Millie midwife will co-manage your care with a Maternal Fetal Medicine physician (an OB GYN specializing in high risk pregnancies) via additional consultations, and work alongside the hospitalist OB GYNs at Alta Bates to deliver your baby. If your pregnancy is determined to be too high risk for care at Millie we will transfer your care to an OB GYN in the community and ensure a seamless transition of care.

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At Millie, you can rest assured that you will receive complete, continuous, and compassionate care with all the benefits of both OBGYN and Midwifery approaches. 

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You will start your Millie journey with one of our Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM) for your visits.

All births for Millie patients will take place at Alta Bates Campus Birth Center, located at 2450 Ashby Avenue in Berkeley.

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All Millie births take place at Alta Bates Campus Birth Center in Berkeley with one of our Millie midwives. If your delivery needs a c-section, VBAC or another type of intervention, the hospitalist OB GYNs at Alta Bates will perform the procedure in collaboration with the Millie midwives. 

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The Millie midwives and OB GYNs at Alta Bates work together to ensure that you and your baby are surrounded by a team of experts who are ready to meet your care needs in every scenario. We share clinical protocols and a common patient record, facilitating a seamless transition from pregnancy to delivery and postpartum care. 

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The vast majority of pregnancies are considered “low risk” (an estimated 80-85%) and an additional 10% are considered “moderate-risk.” Millie care is designed for this population and is therefore a good fit for most pregnancies. 

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We are not currently accepting “high risk” pregnancies, but we would be happy to make a referral. 

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We define “high risk” pregnancies as: 

• preexisting health conditions (for example, high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease, autoimmune disorders like lupus or multiple sclerosis), or 
• pregnancy-related health conditions (for example, fetal birth defects or fetal genetic conditions, severe preeclampsia, twins or triplets, or gestational diabetes managed with insulin). 

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Please note that being over 35 years of age does not constitute a “high risk” pregnancy by itself unless there are other conditions at play. 

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We are currently accepting PPO and HMO plans from the following insurance companies: Aetna, Cigna, United Healthcare, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield of California, HealthNet, as well as some local networks. We also accept plans offered by Medi-Cal via Alameda Alliance for Health (AAH).

We know insurance can be confusing and would be happy to look up your plan to confirm coverage or point you to in-network options if you are considering switching plans. Write to us at support@millieclinic.com.

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All your clinical appointments at Millie, lab tests, ultrasounds, and labor & delivery experience at Alta Bates are covered by insurance. We also offer in-network lactation services. We accept most major insurance plans, including Medicaid. 

We do not charge anything extra for the Millie app, remote monitoring devices (e.g. BP cuff), or 1:1 sessions and messaging with your Millie Guide – a practice-embedded doula who supports Millie patients with birth & postpartum planning, helpful local resources (e.g. birth doulas, acupuncture, pelvic floor physical therapy), and the many questions that come up as you navigate pregnancy. 

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Consultations for supportive care like therapy and nutrition are not typically covered by insurance and are paid out of pocket (they’re also HSA/FSA plan eligible). 

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Every patient is paired with a Millie Guide (who is a practicing doula). They will meet with you each trimester to go over key topics like creating birth preferences, postpartum planning, and more. They are also available to answer questions that come up between visits through the Millie app.
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Although all of our Millie Guides are practicing doulas, they will not be present at your birth. Your Millie Guide can help you find a birthing doula for labor and delivery.
We are currently building a practice-affiliated birth doula network to support patients who would like additional care during labor and delivery.

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We offer postpartum home visits in the first week after delivery to patients who live in the cities of Berkeley, Oakland, Piedmont, Alameda, Albany, Emeryville, and El Cerrito. To those outside of this radius, a comprehensive virtual visit and/or in-clinic visit is still available in the first week after delivery.

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We’ve partnered with LabCorp and Quest Diagnostics for all of your lab needs during pregnancy. Their sites are very conveniently located to our clinic. If you opt for genetic screening, we can order those tests through Natera.

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We always have someone available on our phones, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day for any clinical questions that you have. 

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If you're trying to book an appointment and have any questions email us at scheduling@millieclinic.com and we’ll do our best to find a time that works.

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No you do not! Many patients choose to begin their maternity care at Millie with preconception counseling, annual exam, or birth control services. If you are considering becoming pregnant in the future, this is a great way to get to know us.

We are currently accepting all PPO and HMO plans (HMO only via Brown & Toland) from the following insurance companies: Aetna, Cigna, United Healthcare, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield of California, HealthNet, as well as some local networks. We also accept plans offered by Medi-Cal via Alameda Alliance for Health (AAH).

We know insurance can be confusing and would be happy to look up your plan to confirm coverage or point you to in-network options if you are considering switching plans. Write to us at support@millieclinic.com.

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Our virtual wellness services are available nationally. You do not need to be a maternity or gynecology patient at Millie to use these services.  

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Our virtual wellness services are not covered by insurance at this time, but you can use your HSA/FSA to pay for your visit. We can also provide a superbill that you can submit to your insurance company for out-of-network coverage benefits if available.

Yes! You can use your HSA/FSA card to pay online or submit a superbill for reimbursement.

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We include descriptions of each care session on our services page, but you can always email us at support@millieclinic.com if there’s anything you need to know that we haven’t covered.

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We’ll send you an intake form to fill out online so you and your provider can make the most of your time together. You’ll also have the chance to list out, in advance, what your questions or concerns are so they’re top of mind for your provider.

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Yes! We can create a custom package of one or more wellness  consultations for you. We'll send you a link to purchase, then we'll email the recipient a code they can use to schedule at their convenience. 

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Just email support@millieclinic.com, subject line "Gift Certificate", with the appointment type(s) you'd like to purchase.