Maternal-fetal medicine is a subspecialty of obstetrics (pregnancy care) that focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of expectant mothers and their unborn babies. Maternal-fetal medicine physicians specialize in providing care for women who are at high risk for problems during their pregnancies.
If you are facing a high-risk pregnancy, the maternal-fetal medicine specialists at UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, MA, offer a level of care you won’t find anyplace else in Central Massachusetts. We’re home to the region’s only physicians with advanced fellowship training in high-risk obstetrics, and their extensive experience provides the foundation for the finest care possible for you and your baby.
A high-risk pregnancy is one in which certain conditions put you, your developing fetus or both at higher-than-normal risk for complications during pregnancy and/or after your baby’s birth. These conditions can include:
- You are over 35 years old
- You have a chronic or complex medical condition such as high blood pressure, heart or kidney disease, or an autoimmune disorder
- You have diabetes or develop it during pregnancy (pregnancy induced diabetes)
- You have a family history of genetic/hereditary concerns
- You are carrying more than one baby (twins or triplets, for example), also called multiple gestation
- Your pregnancy is not progressing as expected
- You’ve had a previous preterm (premature) delivery
- You’ve had complications during a previous pregnancy
Our maternal-fetal medicine specialists provide complete and attentive obstetric care before and during your pregnancy. Our services include:
- Preconception consultation
- Prenatal testing to ensure fetal well-being, including comprehensive obstetric ultrasound
- Genetic testing and counseling
- 24/7 access to our specialists during your pregnancy
- Care coordination with any other specialists you may need to see
Your care team at UMass Memorial not only includes maternal-fetal medicine specialists, but also nurses, social workers, dieticians, genetic counselors and ultrasonographers dedicated to working closely with you and your obstetrician to find answers and safely guide you through a complicated pregnancy. For added confidence, we also offer a
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) – the region’s only Level III NICU for high-risk obstetric and neonatal care.
A System Approach
Maternal-fetal medicine care is also provided at a UMass Memorial Health Care community hospital: