The federally qualified health center opened an expanded clinic for its Center for Women’s Health in September. People’s Community Clinic leaders said the expansion is helping fill gaps amid a growing need for women's health care in Central Texas.
The big picture
The new People’s Center for Women’s Health, located at St. David’s Medical Center off 32nd Street, features additional exam rooms, a dedicated area to provide group care and health education, and more space to grow future programs.
The center provides full-scope OB-GYN care, including:
- Prenatal and postpartum care
- Comprehensive well-woman exams
- Birth control counseling and contraceptive care
- High-risk pregnancy support
- Teen pregnancy services and parenting programs
- Sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment
- Health screenings, nutrition consultations and behavioral health services
The center now offers cardiology care and is planning to eventually launch menopause and perimenopause services, women’s mental health support, and pelvic floor care, said Dr. Nicole Moretti, an OB-GYN and director of the Center for Women’s Health.
“Those are services that traditionally patients who don't have access to funding don't have access to,” Moretti said. “We want them to be able to access things that can make their lives not only healthier but more enjoyable.”
The clinic’s health educators provide women contraception counseling, pregnancy support and information about pediatric care, Moretti said. New mothers can access lactation specialists as well as doulas and midwives for assistance with birthing classes or delivery at the hospital.
People’s Community Clinic opened the expanded women’s health care center to meet a growing need in the community, Moretti said. The center connects women to wraparound support services like transportation and child care, making it easier to access health care, she said.
“There is a a gap in what's being disseminated to the average person about their health and someone's ability to access health care,” Moretti said. “We step in to provide that space where patients feel comfortable, not only walking through the door [and] navigating the health care system that might be wholly unfamiliar to them, but also then receiving the care.”
Some women travel over an hour to visit the clinic due to an inability to receive care where they live, People’s Community Clinic CEO Matt Balthazar said. The limited number of OB-GYN providers has not kept pace with population growth in the area, he said.
In Texas, the number of OB-GYNs declined from 1,740 in 2020 to 940 in 2024, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. From 2020 to 2022, the number of OB-GYNs in the Austin and Round Rock area fell by nearly 32%, according to the bureau.
“We're seeing a lot more folks coming in to receive those services from us,” Balthazar said. “In some of the surrounding communities, they don't have what they feel is a trusted women's health partner.”
Women’s health care and education has become increasingly important amid a high maternal mortality rate in Texas, said Dr. Nilanjana Dasgupta, chief medical officer for People’s Community Clinic. The maternal mortality rate in Texas more than doubled from 2018 to 2021, including deaths that were caused by COVID-19, according to Texas Health and Human Services data.
“We would like to target women before they are pregnant to maintain healthy lifestyles that lead to good choices,” she said. “Then we have a healthier pregnancy so that they become low risk when they are delivering.”
The bottom line
People’s Community Clinic provides a range of comprehensive health care and dental services for children, adolescents and adults at its Austin and Manor clinics. Through the new women’s center, People Community Clinic aims to provide a seamless transition in care for women and their children from postnatal to pediatric care, Balthazar said.
Moretti said she hopes the Center for Women’s Health serves as a medical home where women can feel comfortable sharing their concerns, receiving care and forming close relationships with providers and staff.
“So many times, especially for our low-resource community, we've got people who are falling through the cracks in receiving health care,” Balthazar said. “We see it as our job to step in and fill those cracks and make that continuum as easy as possible to access.”
