Some women with special medical conditions may need to be followed more closely before and during pregnancy. Perinatology specialists collaborating with other disciplines like genetics, neonatology, pediatric surgery, internal medicine and other possible related branches provide comprehensive care for expectant mothers who have underlying concerns that could complicate their pregnancies.
The high risk pregnancies may be listed as below:
- Advanced maternal age (exceeding 35 years)
- Maternal chronic disease (Diabetes, morbid obesity, cancer, hypertension & other cardiovascular problems, kidney disease, liver disease, gastrointestinal disease, thyroid disease, thrombophilia etc.)
- Maternal infections (Toxoplasmosis, CMV, Varicella Zoster, Hepatitis etc.)
- Previous adverse pregnancy outcomes (recurrent miscarriages, cervical insufficiency, previous preterm birth, previous baby with organ anomaly or genetic disorder, previous unexplained fetal demise)
- Genetic disease carrier status of expectant mother or father
Besides, the Perinatology clinic offers advanced and full scope multidisciplinary care for all mothers before conception, through pregnancy and after delivery. All expectant mothers including the low-risk women are offered the below screening programs:
- First trimester screening for genetic disorders (First trimester combined test with nuchal translucency (NT) screening or cell free fetal DNA test in maternal blood)
- First trimester fetal anomaly scan
- First trimester risk assessment for future pregnancy complications as preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction, preterm birth
- Second trimester fetal anomaly scan
- Fetal growth scan
- Fetal echocardiography
- Fetal neurosonography
- Maternal - fetal Doppler
Fetuses with high risk of genetic disease or infection and fetuses with medical conditions such as anemia may be offered the following invasive tests and therapy:
- Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS)
- Amniocentesis
- Fetal Blood Sampling (FBS)
- Fetal Blood Transfusion
