Ask 10 expectant mothers how they feel and you’ll get 10 different answers. That’s because pregnancy is an individual experience. It affects each woman differently. Some women have no problems. Others face a greater risk of complications before or during childbirth.

When age, family history or existing medical conditions put you in the high-risk category, your doctor or obstetrician may want to monitor your pregnancy more closely. He or she may recommend a consultation with the team at Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialists at Lancaster General Women & Babies Hospital (MFMS).

A maternal-fetal medicine specialist (perinatologist) is a specially-trained obstetrician who provides screenings, monitoring, education, counseling and care for mothers and their unborn babies throughout high-risk pregnancies.

Philip Bayliss, M.D., is the medical director of MFMS. His team includes a genetic counselor, ultrasound technologist, nurses and support staff. A physician is on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, providing coverage exclusively to the Lancaster General Women & Babies Hospital. The entire team has received specialized training in maternal-fetal medicine and has earned board-certifications in their areas of concentration.

MFMS works hand-in-hand with obstetricians, family doctors and mid-wives to ensure the safest delivery possible – for mom and baby.

What Puts a Woman in the High-Risk Category?

• Health concerns such as high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease or cancer
• Expecting multiple births (twins, triplets or more)
• Prior problem pregnancies
• If the fetus has been diagnosed with a problem or is at risk for one (such as spina bifida)
• Pre-existing medical condition, medication or drug use during pregnancy or advancing maternal age
• Family histories of medical or genetic problems (for either the mother and father)
  

What services does MFMS provide?

• Pre-conceptual counseling
• Prenatal diagnostic procedures, including amniocentesis
• Targeted ultrasound (sonogram images to evaluate fetal development for diagnostic purposes)
• New 3D & 4D ultrasound for select patients
• Genetic counseling
• Testing for high-risk indicators
• Second opinions & consultations of known pregnancy complications
• Consultation during labor for high-risk situations
• Transfer of patients from other communities requiring specialty care

MFMS features advanced ultrasound machines that can provide prenatal diagnosis for various conditions and offers three- and four-dimensional imaging of the fetus in the mother’s womb for select patients.

In addition, MFMS uses standard prenatal tests to help detect chromosome problems. The baby’s development is closely monitored through non-stress tests, amniocentesis, chorionic villus sampling (CVS) and percutaneous umbilical blood sampling (PUBS).

How Do You Make an Appointment?

Because MFMS works closely with your doctor or mid-wife to make sure you receive the most appropriate care, you should obtain a referral from them. Following this process helps in your care and also allows coordination of your health insurance coverage. You can reach Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialists at (717) 544-3514.

Recommended Reading

• High Risk Pregnancy Source Book. Denise M Chism.
• The Complete Guide to Pregnancy after 30; From Conception to Delivery - all you need to know to make the right decisions. Carol Winkleman.