Your MFM specialist works with your obstetrician for the best care possible.
Your obstetrician is usually your primary care provider throughout your pregnancy. If first trimester testing detects no obvious risks, you should return to your high-risk pregnancy specialist for a comprehensive targeted ultrasound, which will look for abnormalities associated with IVF gestations. This high level sonography requires equipment and education primarily available through MFM offices, such as the High Risk Pregnancy Center.
MFM practices also offer fetal echocardiography (a specialized view of the fetal heart) to rule out as much as 85% of congenital heart defects that are increased in IVF gestations. Routine sonography in obstetrical centers and radiology offices may miss up to 65% of these complex defects. Additionally, because preterm labor is a risk with an IVF pregnancy, we would recommend transvaginal sonography, from 18-24 weeks, to screen for potential issues. After these evaluations, you may not need to visit your MFM doctor again. However, should a complication arise, your medical record will already be on file, facilitating immediate care.
If early testing detects that you are at increased risk of complications, or if you are referred by your OB for other advanced care, your MFM doctor will act as your pregnancy team coordinator, working together with your obstetrician, pediatrician and any other subspecialists you may require, to coordinate your care and give you the best chance for a successful delivery.
Where can you find a maternal fetal medicine specialist?
If you are in southern Nevada, our staff at the High Risk Pregnancy Center would love to assist you on your journey. We also serve patients throughout the region, with frequent referrals from northern Arizona and western Utah and have close associations with other subspecialists throughout the United States. The Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine has a website (www.smfm.org) where you can locate a specialist in your area. Or call the High Risk Pregnancy Center and one of our staff members will be happy to refer you to someone in your area.