Maternal Fetal Medicine

Obstetric ultrasound uses sound waves to produce pictures of a baby (embryo or fetus) within a pregnant woman, as well as of the mother’s uterus and ovaries. It does not use ionizing radiation, has no known harmful effects, and is the preferred method for monitoring pregnant women and their unborn babies. A Doppler ultrasound study is a technique that evaluates blood flow in the umbilical cord, fetus or placenta.

Maternal Fetal Serum screening is a blood test. A pregnant woman’s blood is taken and analysis is done on hormones and proteins present in the blood. These levels do not determine an anomaly in the fetus, but can suggest the need for further testing.

Intrauterine Fetal Therapy is the treatment of the fetus while still in the mother’s womb. This treatment could be something as simple as the mother taking medication orally that is transferred to the baby through the placenta, to invasive procedures such as therapeutic amniocentesis, blood transfusions for Rh Disease and thoracocentesis.