Maternal fetal medicine (MFM)

If you have special concerns about your pregnancy, delivery or newborn's health you can count on the Advocate Health Care’s multidisciplinary teams and sophisticated technology at our birthing centers.

Our top maternal fetal medicine (MFM) experts provide the diagnostic testing, monitoring and prenatal care you need to avoid complications and welcome your family's newest addition as safely as possible.

What is a high-risk pregnancy?

A high-risk pregnancy is a term for when pregnant people have high blood pressure, diabetes, genetic risk factors or other complications. High-risk newborns include those with special medical complications or those born too early, too small or too fragile to survive without specialized care.

Advocate birthing centers feature some of the best specialists in maternal-fetal medicine. Find a Chicago-area birthing center conveniently located near you.

What is maternal and fetal medicine?

Maternal fetal medicine (MFM) is a specialized field of obstetrics that focuses on high-risk pregnancies. An MFM specialist, also known as a perinatologist, is an expert in providing advanced maternal-fetal care for those experiencing a complicated pregnancy due to a medical condition, disease or other health concerns.

Perinatologists work closely with your OB-GYN and other specialists to monitor both maternal and fetal health. They provide comprehensive high-risk maternal care, including prenatal screenings, genetic testing, advanced imaging and targeted treatments for the best possible pregnancy outcome.

To schedule an appointment, call 800-3-ADVOCATE or use our online search tool to find a maternal fetal medicine expert near you.

How is MFM different from OB-GYN?

While both MFM doctors and OB-GYNs care for pregnant patients, an MFM specialist focuses on high-risk pregnancies and maternal-fetal medicine. OB-GYNs provide general obstetric and gynecologic care, while perinatologists have advanced training in managing complications that may arise during pregnancy.

An MFM doctor is typically consulted when a pregnancy is considered high-risk due to factors such as pre-existing medical conditions, fetal abnormalities, or complications that develop during pregnancy. Unlike a general OB-GYN, an MFM specialist has expertise in diagnosing and treating conditions affecting both you and your baby.

Your multidisciplinary team for high-risk pregnancy

Your doctor may refer you to an MFM specialist if you have a complicated pregnancy, pre-existing medical condition or if tests indicate potential fetal concerns

When you’re faced with a high-risk pregnancy, you want experts who specialize in a full range of medical fields so you can get the specialized care you and your baby deserve before, during and after birth. Our maternal-fetal medicine teams provide access to specialists who could include:

• Neonatologists and other pediatric subspecialists.
• Clinical nurse specialists, registered nurses, social workers and home health care coordinators
• Leading imaging and ultrasound technicians
• Experts in counseling before pregnancy, genetic counseling, diabetes counseling, education and co-management
• Physicians with extensive experience in neonatal intensive care 

Our birthing centers have Level II or Level III NICUs to provide any high-tech care your newborn may need.

Diagnostic services for high-risk pregnancy

Parenting is full of surprises, but planning for a safe, healthy pregnancy and birth isn't something you want to leave to chance. We offer the most advanced services available to monitor your health and your baby's development during a high-risk pregnancy, including comprehensive genetic, fetal and maternal diagnostics.

Prenatal care for your high-risk pregnancy may include these tests:

• Comprehensive ultrasound: Identifies fetal anomilies, screens for anomalies and verifies dating and size of the fetus.
• Fetal echocardiography: Assesses the structure and function of the fetal heart if your baby is facing a complex fetal condition due to a high-risk pregnancy.
• Fetal ultrasound monitoring: Can include nonstress tests and biophysical profiles to assess fetal well-being. Monitoring is usually performed as needed, during the third trimester.
• Genetic amniocentesis: Performed to obtain a sample of amniotic fluid, which is used to test for chromosomal abnormalities and neural tube defects.
• Percutaneous umbilical blood sampling (PUBS): Available at only a few medical centers nationally, PUBS removes a sample of fetal blood cells from the umbilical cord to analyze for conditions such as fetal anemia or genetic diseases.
• Targeted (level 2) ultrasound: Verifies fetal anatomy for those at risk for specified problems.
• Triple screen test: Performed to measure alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels in a mother's blood and assess the risk for related fetal abnormalities.

You can count on the treatment we provide at our Center for Fetal Care at Advocate Children's Hospital. It's the first program of its kind in Illinois, and it combines world-class experts with the most advanced treatment available in fetal therapy and neonatal care