Maternal-Fetal Medicine: If You and Baby Need Extra care

If you are having a complicated pregnancy or have had one in the past, you may be cared for by one of our maternal-fetal medicine physicians. These VCU Health specialists are known for helping high-risk women achieve healthy pregnancies and births, even if you’ve been told otherwise.

We recommend you see a maternal-fetal medicine specialist if you have these pre-existing conditions:

• Hypertension*
• Diabetes*
• Kidney disease
• Epilepsy
• Heart disease
• Hepatitis*
• HIV
• Clotting disorder

You should also consider seeing a maternal-fetal medicine specialist if you have now or have had an abnormal pregnancy condition*, such as:

• Preterm labor
• Placenta previa
• Stillbirths or premature babies
• Multiple gestations
• Cervical insufficiency (incompetent cervix)
• Poor fetal growth
• Birth defects

A maternal-fetal medicine specialist may become your primary doctor, consult with your primary doctor or provide a second opinion.

If you have a nurse-midwife and develop a high-risk condition, you may remain under the nurse-midwife’s care with the maternal-fetal medicine specialist’s involvement.

*Women with these conditions can also be cared for by our obstetrician-gynecologists if the condition is not severe.