Fetal Medicine Centre
Most pregnancies are uncomplicated and result in the birth of a normal healthy baby. However, some pregnancies require additional care for either the mother or her unborn baby from a specialist in our Fetal Medicine Centre.
Services
The centre offers diagnosis and treatment of complications which may arise in unborn babies and is renowned for developing and providing state-of-the-art fetal medicine procedures for mothers and babies, including:
- Detailed ultrasound scanning (in the first, second and third trimesters) for the diagnosis and confirmation of fetal anomaly
- Fetal cardiac (heart) ultrasound scanning for the screening and diagnosis of a fetal heart anomaly (between 11-14 weeks and at less than 18 weeks)
- Investigation, therapy and management of suspected or known fetal anomaly
- Provision of rapid fetal karyotyping by amniocentesis, Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS) service and amniocentesis (the largest number of procedures performed in the West Midlands)
- The treatment of pregnancies with rhesus disease and other causes of severe fetal anaemia requiring in-utero transfusion of the baby
- Diagnosis and treatment of feto-fetal transfusion (twin-twin transfusion syndrome) syndrome, offering fetoscopic laser ablation
- Pre-pregnancy counselling service for women with previous fetal anomaly
These services are provided by a dedicated team of accredited sub-specialist Fetal Medicine doctors (accredited by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists), midwives and sonographers, supported by our dedicated nursing assistants and administrative staff.
Integrated care
We also work closely with professionals from our Genetics team and laboratories, Antenatal Screening and Children’s hospital staff (paediatric physicians and surgeons from all specialties) among others, in order to provide seamless care for women and their families.