Those care plans are transcribed into each patient chart so that whoever sees the patient has access to them. This allows us to individualize care for each patient and make sure that care is consistent across the practice platform. Our guidelines for the management and care of high-risk conditions are published and standardized for the practice.
Again, this is done so that care is consistent across the practice no matter who sees the patient. Those guidelines are continually updated to assure that all providers follow the most current methodologies in the care of patients. At Maternal Fetal Medicine Associates, the fact that we work as a united multidisciplinary team in a unique approach to care is readily perceived by our patients as published in our online reviews.
All of our staff works in a united fashion that emphasizes expert care along with high levels of patient satisfaction. Our online reviews support our commitment to expert care, courtesy and on-time performance from all members of our staff. Contact us today for more information, or visit our blog page! There are many pre-existing medical conditions that may need to be monitored in relation to pregnancy, e. If you have diabetes, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist can help you optimize your blood sugar control prior to conception to help reduce the risk of fetal anomalies.
If you struggle with obesity , a maternal-fetal medicine specialist can review the benefits of weight loss before pregnancy. Preconception genetic screening has become more common in recent years as technology has advanced and testing has become more accessible. Also, common genetic conditions, such as cystic fibrosis or spinal muscular atrophy , can be screened for with a blood test. Q: What conditions may lead to a high-risk pregnancy? If you have diabetes before you become pregnant, you will likely be referred to a maternal-fetal medicine specialist to monitor your condition and determine the proper medications.
Preconception counseling is ideal. Developing diabetes during pregnancy gestational diabetes is very common, and your obstetric provider will likely be able to care for you without a maternal-fetal medicine consult.
Pre-eclampsia is a condition unique to pregnancy where you have high blood pressure in conjunction with protein in your urine and edema swelling of the skin. In these situations, MFMs assess the pros and cons of staying pregnant vs.
For women who have previously had blood pressure problems during pregnancy, MFMs can map out a strategy to minimize risk for their next birth. During pregnancy, the placenta delivers vital nutrients and removes waste products from the growing baby. If the placenta is located over the cervix, or if it begins to detach before the baby is born, women may experience bleeding. Pregnancy can worsen existing health problems, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or kidney disease, and these chronic conditions can affect pregnancy.
Women breathe more deeply during pregnancy, taking in more oxygen and breathing out extra carbon dioxide. Women with chronic lung problems may struggle with this added burden.
Mothers who enter pregnancy overweight or obese can benefit from expert advice on nutrition, advanced ultrasound, and expert management during labor. Women with endocrine conditions need expert advice to adjust to the demands of pregnancy and to return to normal after childbirth. These changes likely contribute to morning sickness, and they can worsen existing conditions such as gallstones and heartburn. Blood clots form more easily, most likely as a way of preventing heavy bleeding during childbirth.
For women with low blood counts or clotting problems, these changes can require special care to keep mother and baby healthy.
Hormonal changes and greater blood volume can aggravate or improve neurologic problems. The stresses and hormonal changes of pregnancy can also complicate psychiatric conditions. For both neurologic and psychiatric diseases, it is essential to plan ahead and choose treatments that keep a woman healthy while minimizing risk to the growing fetus.
These changes can increase her risk of some infections. Other infections can cause birth defects and may require specialized treatment during pregnancy. Changes to the immune system may also affect autoimmune disorders. When surgical emergencies occur in pregnancy, MFMs partner with surgeons to ensure the health of two patients at the same time.
Pregnancy stretches joints and tissues, affecting women disorders of their bones, cartilage, and connective tissue. For cancer survivors, pregnancy may stress organs that were strained by chemotherapy, requiring extra monitoring. In other cases, mothers receive a cancer diagnosis while pregnant.
MFMs partner with medical and surgical oncologists to map out surgery, chemotherapy, and timing of birth to minimize risk to mother and child. Improvements in ultrasound, prenatal diagnosis, and treatment have made it possible to detect and, in some cases, treat, many birth defects before birth. MFMs provide expert consultation for families who have learned of a birth defect, working with pediatric surgeons to determine the best plan of care for mother and fetus.
When two babies share a single placenta, there are added challenges, because uneven blood flow can lead to problems such as twin-twin transfusion syndrome. MFMs monitor multiple pregnancies with ultrasound, and they can perform advanced procedures to treat complications such as twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome. The fetal immune system is not ready to cope with certain infections, which can cause birth defects or growth problems.
Advanced treatment and careful monitoring may reduce long-term effects of infections such as cytomegalovirus, toxoplasmosis, parvovirus, herpes, and varicella chickenpox. In the third trimester, ultrasound is used to assess fetal growth and well-being based upon various clinical indications to be reviewed with individual care providers. If fetal growth is determined to be poor, our physicians may evaluate the blood flow in the umbilical cord in order to determine the health of the placenta.
Ultrasound is also used to guide the specialist when performing invasive testing such as Chorionic Villous Sampling evaluation of placental tissue or amniocentesis evaluation of fluid taken from the sac surrounding the baby. We advise our patients to prepare for ultrasound testing by wearing loose-fitting two-piece outfits on the day of the appointment. In general, only the abdominal area needs to be exposed during an ultrasound procedure, which is often painless. Often in the first trimester, transvaginal ultrasound may be required in order to evaluate the early pregnancy, or in the second and third trimesters to more accurately measure the cervical length in appropriately determined patients.
Clear ultrasound gel is used on the abdomen to allow the transducer to make secure contact with the skin, thereby providing a continuous path for the sound waves to enter the body. Images are captured on a screen and will be interpreted by our trained medical professionals. The pictures taken during a routine medical ultrasound appointment can be printed or electronically sent to various multimedia platforms for keepsakes. Transvaginal imaging requires inserting a narrow endocavitary probe specifically developed for this imaging technique.
A protective disposable plastic cover is placed over the transducer, lubricated with a small amount of gel, and then placed in the lower part of the vagina.
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