Copyright The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
LOUISVILLE — For more than a year, Jessica Lewis has made the 50-minute drive north from her home in Louisville to her doctor’s office in the Augusta suburb of Grovetown. At times, the 35-year-old tax preparer made weekly trips so she could see the obstetrician who was providing her care while pregnant. She gave birth a year ago and still goes to Grovetown for her son’s pediatrician visits. Lewis said the nearly two-hour round trip was the best way for her to get consistent care. The prenatal care options in her hometown are more limited. She could have seen a certified nurse midwife through Jefferson Hospital, but Lewis said she was more comfortable traveling to Grovetown. Lewis said she is fortunate to have access to transportation while she was pregnant. Not everyone in her two-stoplight town is as fortunate. The median income in Jefferson County is less than $47,000, according to Census data. “It can make you feel depressed because you can’t provide for your child and you can’t give them the necessary care,” Lewis said. “It’s very important when you’re pregnant to make sure you’re doing everything you need to do to prevent any issues during labor and delivery. Eighty of Georgia’s 156 counties do not have a full-time doctor certified in obstetrics and gynecology, according to data acquired by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution from the Georgia Medical Composite Board, which licenses health care professionals. LOUISVILLE — For more than a year, Jessica Lewis has made the 50-minute drive north from her home in Louisville to her doctor’s office in the Augusta suburb of Grovetown. At times, the 35-year-old tax preparer made weekly trips so she could see the obstetrician who was providing her care while pregnant. She gave birth a year ago and still goes to Grovetown for her son’s pediatrician visits. Lewis said the nearly two-hour round trip was the best way for her to get consistent care. The prenatal care options in her hometown are more limited. She could have seen a certified nurse midwife through Jefferson Hospital, but Lewis said she was more comfortable traveling to Grovetown. Lewis said she is fortunate to have access to transportation while she was pregnant. Not everyone in her two-stoplight town is as fortunate. The median income in Jefferson County is less than $47,000, according to Census data. “It can make you feel depressed because you can’t provide for your child and you can’t give them the necessary care,” Lewis said. “It’s very important when you’re pregnant to make sure you’re doing everything you need to do to prevent any issues during labor and delivery.
