“When I hold Avery, I can't imagine not being her mom.”
If you are at greater risk of having a pregnancy complication – or you’re already experiencing a problem during pregnancy – count on our maternal fetal medicine (MFM) team to support you every step of the way. Our goal is to help you have a safe, healthy and successful pregnancy.
MFM physicians are high-risk pregnancy experts with an additional two to three years of education and training. Our doctors specialize in taking care of pregnant women with chronic health problems and unexpected medical complications that may develop during pregnancy such as high blood pressure, diabetes or early labor. We offer the technology, knowledge and compassion to handle pregnancy complications and keep you healthy.
Our MFM clinicians work side by side with obstetricians and midwives to provide the best care possible to all patients. MFM physicians also teach obstetrics and gynecology residents and do valuable clinical research that has helped shape LVHN’s obstetrics programs.
Victoria had a completely normal pregnancy. Then bleeding complications after delivering her daughter, Avery, resulted in Victoria’s emergency care at Lehigh Valley Health Network. Watch Victoria’s video, and hear how the caring team with LVPG Maternal Fetal Medicine saved her life – ensuring she could always be Avery’s loving mommy.
High-risk pregnancy specialists manage pregnancy complications
Our Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) division at LVHN offers seven programs created for managing pregnancy complications. Some of the potential complications in moms-to-be and babies that we take care of are:
- Heart disease and heart-related concerns
- Hypertension and kidney issues during pregnancy
- Diabetes
- Genetics and hereditary diseases
- Critical illness in pregnancy
- Accreta in pregnancy (bleeding complications)
- Frequent miscarriage (pregnancy loss)
- Fetal development concerns
- Expecting multiple gestations (twins, triplets, quadruplets, etc.)
LVHN maternal fetal medicine clinicians support moms-to-be
Our group of high-risk pregnancy specialists is one of the largest in Pennsylvania. A team with extra training and experience supports them:
- Perinatal nurse practitioners and nurses, who support women throughout pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period
- Genetic counselors, who specialize in prenatal diagnosis and offer testing to help you understand how or if a disease that runs in your family might affect your child
- Sonographers, who are highly educated health care technicians with specific training in performing pregnancy ultrasound and other important testing such as fetal echocardiography
MFM clinicians work together with other specialists to treat pregnancy concerns
MFM clinicians work closely with other specialists to address the issues or needs that make a pregnancy high risk. These include:
- Preconception counseling
- Medication use during pregnancy
- Diagnostic testing and imaging
- Maternal risks during pregnancy
- Planning for labor and care during labor
- Delivery and care during the postpartum period
- Managing your condition during pregnancy
Noninvasive prenatal tests (NIPT) available
Your clinician – with the help of genetic counselors – will carefully watch for potential problems or complications. Depending on your needs, we offer comprehensive testing during pregnancy to monitor the health of you and your baby.
Having trouble getting pregnant?
Ten to 15 percent of women need extra help conceiving or sustaining a pregnancy. Our fertility partner may be able to help you achieve a healthy pregnancy.