MUSC Medical Center
169 Ashley Avenue, Charleston
Main Phone#: 792-2300
Labor & Delivery Phone#: (not publicly available)
Campus Map

Directions from I-26:
At the end of the interstate, take exit 221A (Hwy 17 South). Get in the right lane. Go through the first traffic light, take the Rutledge Avenue exit to the right. Go .5 miles. Turn right on Bee St. MUSC is one block ahead.

Parking Information:
Passenger drop-off and pick-up zones are provided on the horseshoe-shaped drive in front of Children's Hospital entrance on Ashley Avenue. Vehicles must not be left unattended in these zones. If you will be admitted to Medical University Hospital, we encourage you to use the hospital's main entrance.

Parking garages are located on Jonathan Lucas Street across from the MUSC Medical Center entrance, and on Vanderhorst Street. Parking lots are located on Ashley Avenue across from Children's Hospital, and on President Street. The President Street lot has motorized carts with drivers available to transport you to and from the Medical Center. Handicapped spaces are located on the horseshoe-shaped drive off Ashley Avenue, as well as in the garages and parking lots.

Patients' families may request a reduced rate when their visits exceed two hours, or when there will be multiple short visits on the same day. The patient's full name and room number should be written on the front of the parking facility ticket. You can request the reduced rate at the cashier booth when you exit the garage or parking lot. There is a maximum parking charge of $2 per day for patients in the hospital and their families.

Labor and Delivery Location:
Enter main entrance from horseshoe. The main visitor elevators are to the right of the security desk as you enter. Take elevators to the 5th floor. Exit left off elevators and continue until hallway ends. Turn right, then you will have to buzz the nurses' station to be permitted through the double doors. Follow to end of hallway and turn left onto labor and delivery wing. Nurses' station is down near the end on left.

AMENITIES
What are the rooms like?
Rooms are Labor-Delivery-Recovery. They are all the same. Moms must move to a Postpartum room within 1-2 hours following birth.
Cafeteria Hours: Breakfast 6-10; Lunch 11-2; Dinner 4:30-7
Vending machines? Yes.
Snacks for labor support team? Juice and crackers are available.
Is a microwave available? Yes.
TV/VCR Available? TV in each room. There is one VCR on a cart, shared by all.
Showers/Tubs/Jacuzzis in Rooms? There are showers in the Labor and Delivery rooms.
Is Waterbirth Available? No.
Monitoring by Telemetry Available? Yes—in 5 of the rooms.
Are birth balls provided? There is one birth ball but it is seldom used so you may want to bring one.
Are birthing stools available? No.
Squat bar? Yes.
Mirror? Yes.

POLICIES
What may moms eat or drink in labor? Generally either ice chips or nothing.
What is the policy about monitoring of low-risk mothers? Intermittent? Continuous?
Usually intermittent monitoring; this depends on the physician or midwife.
Is a fetoscope or hand-held doppler available?
Both hand-held doptone and fetoscope are available.
Routine Hep Lock/IV? At minimum, Hep lock is routine. Depends again upon doctor or midwife's orders.
What is the policy about microwaving heat packs? No set policy—it's o.k.
Is breastfeeding promoted prior to newborn assessment? Yes, if requested.
Can all newborn assessments be performed in room with baby's parents? Yes.
Is there any mandatory separation of mother and baby? No. Prefer that baby be observed in nursery but this is negotiable.
Can baby room-in? Only after the initial two-hour transition time.
Is there a lactation consultant on staff? Yes; there are three lactation consultants available.
Does the facility staff Certified Nurse-Midwives? Yes.
Misc: Be aware that this is a teaching hospital and you may have students & residents observing your labor and birth, unless you request otherwise.

STATISTICS
Medicated birthing rate: Approximately 90-94%.
Epidural Rate: One nurse reports that "almost all patients get an epidural."
Induction rate: Unknown.
C-section rate: 27%.
Overall rates for Charleston County, 1998-2001*:
Total C-section rate: 23.5%
Primary C-section rate: 18.3%
VBAC rate: 16.9%

National C-section Rates 2005:
South Carolina: 32.7%
National: 30.2%