Our Practice
Fetal Medicine at 9M Hospitals
Fetal medicine is a specialisation of gynaecology that focuses on diagnosing and managing any adverse health conditions that the growing baby may have before, during and after delivery. Whether it’s your first or second pregnancy, consulting a fetal medicine expert will ensure that the baby in your womb stays in the best of health. Consulting a fetal medicine expert can be especially beneficial if you have any pre-existing condition which makes your pregnancy high-risk.
Who are fetal medicine experts?
Fetal medicine experts are obstetricians/gynaecologists who are specially trained to assess and manage high-risk pregnancies. They diagnose, counsel, and manage fetal complications in pregnancies. They have extensive training in assessing and treating fetal problems.
Our physicians at 9M are board certified in obstetrics, gynaecology, and maternal-fetal medicine. They are trained to offer the best care with empathy during high-risk pregnancies. Fetal healthcare is customized to every patient’s unique requirements. Our experts work to achieve a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby at birth.
What are the benefits of fetal medicine?
Some benefits of fetal medicine include:
- Prediction and prevention of fetal growth restriction/preterm birth and problems that are common in twins/triplets.
- Monitoring a healthy growth and development of the fetus
- Screening for genetic defects.
- Lowering anxiety and providing reassurance, especially in high-risk pregnancies.
- Guide regarding discontinuing pregnancy in case of severe birth defects.
To allow in utero treatments.
Any situation or condition which places the health of the mother and baby at risk is treated by a fetal medicine specialist. A fetal medicine expert monitors and treats the following conditions during the course of pregnancy:
- Existing health conditions in the mother like high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV, and obesity
- Health concerns with the developing baby, like birth defects
- Complications from previous pregnancies, such as preterm births and pre-eclampsia
- Multiple pregnancies like twins, triplets, etc.
When should I meet a fetal medicine specialist?
If you are trying to get pregnant and are aware of any existing medical condition that you have then you should discuss it with your gynecolgist. Your doctor may recommend you to consult a fetal medicine specialist. Women who have additional risk factors during pregnancy such as advanced maternal age should also consult a fetal medicine specialist for assuring that the health of both, the mother and the baby is good.
What does fetal medicine include?
Consultation with a fetal medicine specialist can include a parent counselling session and various screening and diagnostic tests. The tests can be non-invasive or invasive depending on the need.
Non-invasive testing:
- Ultrasonography: This is the first test done for prenatal diagnosis that creates images of the baby in the mother’s womb. Several body parts of the baby, including the head, heart, and spine, are identified and measured. It is a safe way to check the health of the fetus.
- Blood test: Blood is collected from the mother at different intervals to assess the baby’s growth and identify any serious fetal conditions early on, like chromosomal abnormalities, spinal cord defects, Down’s syndrome, etc. Some blood tests which are part of fetal medicine include:
– Dual markers test: At 10 to 13 weeks
– Quadruple/ triple markers test: At 16 to 20 weeks
– Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) of cell-free fetal DNA in the mother’s blood.
Invasive testing:
Invasive testing can range from inserting a fine needle inserted into the uterus to procedures like foetoscopy. The most common invasive tests in fetal medicine are:
- Chorionic villus sampling (CVS): removing little placental tissue for genetic analysis.
- Amniocentesis: removing a little fluid from the sac around the growing baby for analysis.
- Umbilical cord sampling: a sample of the baby’s blood is collected from the umbilical cord for testing.
If you already know about any existing condition that could affect your growing baby and want the best treatment for your and your baby’s health then you can consult a fetal medicine specialist at 9M, Gachibowli. Our fetal medicine team uses several diagnostic procedures to ascertain the unborn child’s health. In addition, our team offers compassionate and superior services such as fetal well-being tests, advanced maternal and fetal care, fetal ultrasound examination, expert genetic counselling, and fetal surgery.
9M strives to offer the best healthcare services, including diagnostics and effective treatment.