Fetal Medicine

Our fetal medicine teams care for you and your baby when a pregnancy needs closer attention. We bring together detailed ultrasound, prenatal screening and diagnosis, and, where possible, treatment before birth. Our specialists work alongside your obstetric and newborn care teams, so a clear plan is ready for your baby's arrival.

What is fetal medicine?

Fetal medicine is the care of your unborn baby's health during pregnancy. It focuses on babies who may have a health problem, or pregnancies with a higher chance of one. Careful scans and tests help diagnose conditions such as heart defects or growth restriction. Some of these can be treated during pregnancy. Fetal medicine looks after your baby before birth. Routine antenatal care supports every pregnancy, and neonatology takes over once your baby is here.

Who is referred to fetal medicine?

Fetal medicine is reached by referral, not by booking an appointment directly. Most people are referred by their obstetrician or midwife, and a referral often follows:

• A finding on a scan, such as the 20-week anomaly scan
• A higher-chance result from screening for Down's, Edwards' or Patau's syndrome
• An abnormal blood test during pregnancy
• A twin or other multiple pregnancy
• A family or medical history that raises your baby's risk
• A problem in a previous pregnancy

You don't usually arrange fetal medicine care yourself. Your obstetrician or midwife makes the referral once something needs a closer look, and stays involved throughout. A referral doesn't always mean there's a problem, and for many parents these appointments bring reassurance. If anything about your pregnancy feels urgent, your maternity team is there to advise.

What to expect

Your first appointment usually centres on a detailed ultrasound. A specialist looks closely at your baby's growth, heart and other organs, and talks with you about what the scan shows. Depending on the reason for referral, you may be offered further tests, such as a focused scan of the heart or a sample of fluid from around your baby. Each test is explained first, including what it can and cannot tell you.

What happens next depends on what's found. Many babies need extra monitoring, with regular scans to check growth and wellbeing. Some conditions can be treated before birth, and others are managed by planning where and how your baby is born, with the right teams ready. Your specialist talks you through the options and agrees the next step. You'll know what to expect before, during and after your baby's birth.

Fetal medicine at Mediclinic

Our fetal medicine units are based at hospitals in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. Pregnancy scans and prenatal screening make up much of the day-to-day work, including a blood test called NIPT that checks the chance of certain conditions. If a clearer answer is needed, a diagnostic test can help. In amniocentesis (a sample of the fluid around your baby), a fine needle draws off a little fluid for testing. Chorionic villus sampling does the same with a tiny sample from the placenta. When a baby can be helped before birth, treatment in the womb is sometimes possible, such as for twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, where identical twins share their blood supply unevenly. Alongside this, our teams offer counselling, so you have support in understanding what a diagnosis means for you and your baby. We work closely with obstetric and newborn care teams, so your care stays joined up through to your baby's arrival.