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Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Preeclampsia (toxemia)
• Diabetes or other
endocrine disorders
• Kidney or gastrointestinal
disease
• Infectious diseases
Healthy women whose pregnancy includes:
• Abnormal AFP (alpha
fetoprotein) blood test
• Twins, triplets or
more
• Recurrent pre-term
labor and delivery
• Premature rupture
of membranes
• Recurrent pregnancy
loss
• Suspected fetal growth
restriction (baby not growing enough)
Women undergoing diagnostic or therapeutic
procedures during pregnancy, such as:
• Comprehensive ultrasound
• Chorionic villus sampling
• Genetic amniocentesis,
fetal surgery or treatment
How is an MFM sub-specialist
ideally suited to care for women with these issues/pregnancy
complications?
A Maternal-Fetal Medicine sub-specialist
is an individual who has
•
graduated from Medical School
•
completed four years of Obstetrics
and Gynecology residency
•
completed
two to three years of Maternal-Fetal Medicine fellowship
Fellowship training provides additional education and practical
experience to gain special competence in various obstetrical,
medical, and surgical complications of pregnancy.
By virtue of this training
and technical proficiency, the MFM sub-specialist
•
provides care or consultation for both mother and unborn
baby in a complicated pregnancy.
•
provides education and research concerning the most recent
approaches to the diagnosis and treatment
of obstetrical problems. He/she thus
•
promotes awareness of the diagnostic and therapeutic techniques
for optimal management of these complicated
pregnancies.
How
is care coordinated between your obstetrician and an MFM
sub-specialist?
It is recognized that many obstetricians-gynecologist are
also qualified by training and experience to manage complicated
pregnancies. Maternal-Fetal Medicine sub-specialists are
complementary to obstetricians in providing
•
consultations,
•
co-management,
•
direct care for a complicated patients both before
(pre-conceptional counseling) and during pregnancy.
Maternal-Fetal Medicine
sub-specialists also work with family physicians and certified
nurse-midwives. The Maternal-Fetal Medicine sub-specialist
will work with you and any other healthcare professional
in whatever method is best for you and your baby.
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