Maternal / Fetal Medicine

Maternal-fetal medicine deals exclusively with high-risk conditions of both the mother and her baby. Cooper University Hospital’s Maternal-Fetal Medicine Program, part of a regional perinatal center, provides a wide range of comprehensive services for pregnant women with low- and high-risk pregnancies. Services are available at six convenient locations throughout South Jersey.

Maternal-fetal medicine is a branch of obstetrics and gynecology that deals exclusively with high-risk conditions of both the mother and her baby. All maternal-fetal medicine physicians complete a four-year residency in obstetrics and gynecology and then spend additional years training exclusively in high-risk pregnancies.

Reasons to See a Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist

• Medical conditions in the mother: Diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), cancer, HIV or other infections, advanced maternal age (older than 35 at the time of delivery), medication exposure
• Fetal conditions: Multiple gestations (2 or more babies), birth defects, growth problems of the baby, prior child with birth defects, growth abnormalities
• Abnormal pregnancy conditions: Preterm labor, premature rupture of membranes, placental separation, placenta previa (placenta covering the cervix)
• Low-risk pregnancies: Uncertain due date, anatomy screening

Available Services

Cooper University Hospital's Maternal-Fetal Medicine Program offers comprehensive services for low-risk and high-risk pregnant women, including:

• Obstetrical Ultrasonography: Our high resolution 2D, 3D, and 4D ultrasounds allow us to image the baby to diagnose many types of birth defects.
• Down Syndrome Screening: We are certified by the Maternal Fetal Medicine Foundation to perform sequential screening, which along with blood tests, can detect 90% of fetuses with Down syndrome and Trisomy 18.
• Fetal Echocardiography: If a heart defect is suspected, we can perform detailed imaging of the baby’s heart. We also work closely with the pediatric cardiologists to help diagnose and treat babies with congenital heart defects, both prior to and following delivery. Our monthly perinatal cardiology clinics allow us to combine our expertise when performing fetal echocardiography.
• Genetic Consultation: Our board certified genetic counselor is available to review your detailed family history and to discuss risk factors for birth defects for your unborn child. She provides counseling to fully educate you about the tests that are available to help diagnose abnormal fetal conditions, as well as the risks and benefits of these tests. Conditions warranting genetic counseling would include advanced maternal age (35 and over), having a previous child with a birth defect or a genetic abnormality, medication exposure, and environmental exposures.
• Genetic Procedures: Our maternal-fetal medicine specialists offer specialized procedures to diagnose chromosomal abnormalities such as Down syndrome, including chorionic villus sampling (CVS) and amniocentesis.
• Other Invasive Testing: In select cases, we are able to perform percutaneous umbilical blood sampling (PUBS) to sample the baby’s blood and when necessary to transfuse the baby in cases of fetal anemia.
• Antepartum Fetal Testing: We perform tests for fetal well-being, including non-stress tests, biophysical profiles, and amniotic fluid assessment, for babies at higher risk for problems prior to delivery. Our full-time perinatal nurse will perform the test and help answer any questions about the status of your unborn child.
• Perinatal Consultations: Maternal-fetal medicine specialists are available to speak with you before and during pregnancy to discuss high-risk conditions of you and your baby, so that you can have a complete understanding of the risks of pregnancy.

Why Should I Come to a Maternal - Fetal Medicine Specialist for an Ultrasound Rather than a Radiologist?

In most radiology suites, the ultrasound technician who performs your test cannot discuss your results with you. You must wait until your next appointment with your obstetrician to review the ultrasound findings and for the obstetrician to make further recommendations.

At Cooper, we give you your results right away. Our doctors are available to speak with you about any abnormalities that may occur and to answer any questions that you may have about your pregnancy care. If your ultrasound is abnormal, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist will be available to speak with you about the significance of the findings. He or she may recommend other diagnostic procedures and will establish a plan for the remainder of your pregnancy and delivery.

We work closely with your obstetrician to develop a management plan that will allow you to stay with your obstetrician, in most cases.

About Maternal - Fetal Medicine at Cooper

The Maternal-Fetal Medicine Program at Cooper University Hospital provides expert, high-quality care for mothers and babies with high-risk conditions. As part of a regional perinatal center, maternal-fetal medicine is one of a complete range of services that can meet any need you might have during your pregnancy or after the birth of your baby.

Cooper’s maternal-fetal medicine doctors are experts in performing ultrasounds on women with high-risk as well as low-risk pregnancies. Although many pregnancies are low risk, more than 80% of fetal birth defects occur in pregnancies where the mother has no high-risk factors. Generally, maternal-fetal medicine specialists, who focus only on pregnancy, have a higher detection rate of birth defects than most radiologists, who spend much of their time performing other body imaging studies. We pride ourselves on accurate detection of birth defects without over-estimating the risks.

If you are a high-risk mother, the Cooper maternal-fetal medicine specialist will work closely with your obstetrician to develop a plan of care tailored to your personal needs and medical history. Although you may see the maternal-metal medicine specialist several times during your pregnancy, your obstetrician will continue to manage your pregnancy and deliver your baby (in most cases). Your maternal-fetal medicine specialist may consult with a neonatologist—a pediatrician who cares for newborns with special medical needs—before the delivery to make sure all necessary services are in place.

Cooper’s maternal-fetal medicine specialists are all board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. As part of Cooper, they serve on the faculty of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and stay up-to-date on the latest diagnostic, treatment advances, and new research on complicated pregnancies. Cooper is one of only a few sites in South Jersey that is accredited by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.