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Originally published July 2, 2026
Last updated July 2, 2026
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Micaela Hewus says she isn’t someone who cruises through life without a care. Major life decisions, especially, could bring her a swell of anxiety.
When she became pregnant for the first time, in early 2025, several unsettling things began happening to her body. Nearly all food and even water tasted terrible, and she was having serious sleeping problems for the first time in her life.
“So many things came up that I wasn’t expecting, I had never heard of before and that weren’t great to deal with,” says Micaela, 36, a resident of Pasadena. Because it was her first pregnancy, she did not know why these things were happening and whether they were signs of trouble with her pregnancy.
Looking back, Micaela says she peppered her doctor, Leslie Korostoff, MD, an OB/GYN with Keck Medicine of USC, with an endless stream of questions, both at her prenatal visits as well as via phone and email. Rather than judging her, Micaela says, Dr. Korostoff provided the exact sort of responses she needed.
Dr. Korostoff patiently answered all her questions, gave her reassurances and helped her understand that the unusual changes she was experiencing were in no way a sign that her pregnancy was off track.
“I was telling her what I was going through and asking her if it was normal and whether I should be concerned,” Micaela says. “As someone who can be a little anxious, I felt that she was so affirming, and it was truly appreciated.”
Prenatal care for both mom and baby, notes Dr. Korostoff, involves far more than checking vital signs and the development of the baby: It involves guidance and emotional support. It isn’t unusual, she says, for expectant moms to have more questions than answers, particularly when pregnant for the first time.
“Prenatal visits are critical and involve a lot more than providing patients with medical care,” says Dr. Korostoff, who delivers babies at USC Arcadia Hospital (USC-AH), part of Keck Medicine. “These visits are opportunities for expectant parents to get support, which they all need during this time. It is also a time for them to get as much relevant information as they need to carry on with confidence through the pregnancy.”
Giving her patients information is important, Dr. Korostoff says, because questions about diet and exercise and unexpected changes in pregnant women’s bodies can help keep both mother and baby healthy throughout the pregnancy. Likewise, helping parents develop birth plans prepares them for the delivery, an event that comes with its own concerns.
Being the planner that she is, Micaela, together with her husband, signed up for a tour of the labor and delivery section of USC-AH. Micaela was happily surprised by the size of the rooms and the fact that it didn’t seem as institutional as some hospitals.
“The rooms are all private and huge and had windows looking out onto a golf course,” Micaela says. “There was also a garden that was only open to women in labor so they could walk around if they wanted to. Seeing these spaces made me feel really comfortable about delivering at USC Arcadia.”
Dr. Korostoff notes that the team at USC-AH strives to make the labor and delivery experience as positive as possible for their patients because the experience actually has consequences for both mom and baby.
Having a positive birth experience is a combination of factors, she notes, that includes providing women in labor both comfort and privacy, as well as training the labor and delivery staff to be supportive, knowledgeable and professional. USC-AH also has doctors who are trained to provide emergency obstetric care in the hospital 24 hours a day, which gives a lot of women peace of mind.
“It is widely known that a more positive birth experience helps with postpartum healing, bonding between mom and baby and successful breastfeeding,” Dr. Korostoff says.
When the time came in October 2025 for Micaela to deliver her baby, she quickly learned that labor doesn’t follow a script. She was in labor for longer than most first-time mothers and, while she hoped she would not need drugs, she eventually chose to have an epidural to get her through the pain.
She also experienced a dramatic drop in her own heart rate, which prompted the medical staff to keep careful watch over her and her baby without rattling Micaela or her husband.
Looking back on that day, Micaela commends the labor and delivery nurses and Dr. Korostoff for reassuring her and helping her make informed decisions throughout her labor.
“They really kept their calm throughout, which helped me not to worry even though a few things seemed kind of scary,” Micaela says. “People talked us through everything that was happening and helped us understand what was going on with me and the baby. I am really grateful for Dr. Korostoff and for the staff at USC Arcadia.”
Several months after giving birth, Micaela and her husband are settling nicely into a new life as parents of a healthy baby. Like many new parents, they are a bit sleep deprived but thankful that their little one is healthy and happy.
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