Journey to becoming a family guided by local physician

Jasmine Shepard came to Bothwell Regional Health Center looking for safe and reliable care close to home and a provider who would listen. She found all of that and more in Dr. ShiAnne Farris, a resident physician at Bothwell Family Medicine Associates. Shepard said she could tell the difference early in her visits to the clinic.

“Just walking in felt familiar and personal,” she said. “They know me by my name, and Dr. Farris has been such a huge help. She really listens, and she takes action.”

Family medicine residents are required to complete rotations in obstetrics and gynecology and regularly care for pregnant patients. Shepard first met Dr. Farris after a positive pregnancy test.

“We started off as I always do with my new pregnant patients,” Farris said. “Unfortunately, Jasmine’s pregnancy ended in a miscarriage only a few weeks later.”

As a resident physician in her final year of medical training, Farris spends almost all of her time either in the clinic or in the hospital.

“I happened to be in the hospital and saw that Jasmine was in the emergency room,” she said. “I went to see her after the miscarriage, and we discussed her options and made plans to see her in a follow-up appointment.”

Shepard was brokenhearted by the loss. She and her husband, Chase, were determined to continue trying to get pregnant, and when Jasmine learned she was pregnant again, she returned to Dr. Farris. This pregnancy also ended in a miscarriage. Once again, Farris was in the hospital at the same time as Jasmine and offered consolation and support.

After two pregnancy losses, the couple and Dr. Farris were resolved to get to the root causes, find answers and develop a plan for them to have a baby.

“We worked together through my medical history, and she ran several tests,” Shepard said. “The tests showed that I didn’t have any progesterone.”

Progesterone is a hormone that supports menstruation and pregnancy in females, and low levels can cause trouble conceiving. After starting on supplements, Shepard became pregnant again.

As her pregnancy progressed, Shepard needed a cervical cerclage, a procedure used to help support the cervix to prevent pre-term birth. A specialist placed the cerclage, and Shepard continued her follow-up care with Dr. Farris.

While the cerclage did its job for several weeks, complications from other health issues caused an emergency situation, and Shepard called on Dr. Farris for immediate help. She described it as one of those moments where fear takes over and you need your doctor to move quickly, communicate clearly and stay calm.

“She removed the cerclage and delivered our son, Derek,” she said. “It was a beautiful day to save lives.”

Shepard’s experience is just one example of what makes family medicine with obstetrics (FMOB) physicians different. FMOB physicians care for newborns and young children, men and women, pregnant women and older adults. They’re trained to manage a wide range of issues and conditions, including wellness visits, delivering babies and chronic disease management. Variety and flexibility are key to their practices. 

“That continuity of care is one of the greatest privileges of family medicine with obstetrics,” Farris said. “We’re involved from preconception counseling, prenatal visits, delivery and well child checks. The best part is that now I get to take care of Derek as he grows up.”

For Shepard, Dr. Farris is the perfect fit for her new, young family. Looking back, she described her care experience as exceptional.

“I feel safe, I feel cared for,” she said. “Dr. Farris is the most comfortable I have ever felt with a doctor. I recommend Bothwell without hesitation, and I recommend delivering here.”