Maternal-Fetal Medicine — A Full Spectrum of Care for High-Risk Pregnancies

When you’re diagnosed with a high-risk pregnancy, you’ve got an additional layer of support at Community Health Network. You and your OB or certified nurse-midwife will find a partner in our maternal-fetal medicine team — a group of specialists who focus on your baby’s development and continued health.

Our Maternal-Fetal Medicine Care center is a high-risk obstetrical clinic where you’ll get comprehensive care for the risk factors relevant to your pregnancy and delivery. Together, we can help you create the best possible plan for you and your baby’s continued health.

What specialists are on the maternal-fetal medicine team?

Our team of specialists offers a full spectrum of care, so you can get the support you need for yourself and your baby. In addition to our Riley Hospital for Children-affiliated perinatologists, we offer support from cardiologists like Dr. Nan Oscherwitz and fertility specialist Dr. David Carnovale.

We also staff genetic counselors who focus on hereditary and chromosomal disorders. If you’re concerned about your family history, our counselors can help you understand the likelihood of certain genetic factors being passed down.

Each month, our team comes together to discuss all of the moms who are delivering in the coming weeks. It’s truly a multidisciplinary meeting, where each specialist will ensure that you get the care you need on your due date and in the weeks leading up to it.

And rest assured that you’ll have a nurse navigator as a single point of contact. Your nurse navigator will coordinate care with our team behind the scenes, so you don’t have to worry about chasing down different specialists for answers.

Who might need maternal-fetal medicine support?

You’ll get an automatic referral to our maternal-fetal medicine team for a number of reasons, like if you’re having twins, if you have a history of pregnancy loss or if we discover any chromosomal defects.

Here are the four most common factors where you’ll get care from our team:

1. You’re above the age of 35. Many women choose to start a family once they’ve become well established in their career. If you’re 35 or older you fall into the category of “advanced maternal age” — that just means you’ll get an extensive ultrasound so we can stay on the lookout for any complications that might arise.
2. You’re experiencing fetal growth restriction. If your baby measures below the 10th percentile, we’ll take an extensive scan to see what’s restricting your baby’s growth. From then on we’ll see you weekly or every other week to monitor their development.
3. You have a history of preterm birth. One micro-preemie doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have another, but we’ll stay extra vigilant in the weeks leading up to your due date. And if your baby does arrive early, we’ll have a plan in place for their care.
4. Your ultrasound showed an abnormality. If your provider detects a placental issue, fetal abnormality or anything else out of the ordinary, they’ll reach out to partner with our team to make sure you have the best support possible.

What does an extensive ultrasound show?

Around week 18 to week 20, your baby has reached an important stage of development. At this point their brain and heart are big enough that we can start picking up on vital clues about their health.

The extensive scan takes about an hour, and it gives us a great picture of your baby’s health. We strive to be able to see every detail about your baby that is needed, including digits, extensive heart pictures, and every other tiny detail that helps us understand the level of care your baby will need.

Where can I get care from Community’s maternal-fetal medicine team?

If you have a high-risk pregnancy, your OB or certified nurse-midwife will refer you to our Maternal-Fetal Medicine Care center at Community Hospital North.

Maternal-Fetal Medicine Care
7120 Clearvista Dr., Suite 5900
Indianapolis, IN 46256

Whether you’re in the early stages of family planning or nearing your due date, Community is with you from day one. Here’s more on how we stand by moms with high-risk pregnancies.