Maternal Fetal Medicine
At CMU Health, our maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) team cares for women with high-risk pregnancies and those who may need extra monitoring and support. We offer advanced imaging, detailed ultrasounds, genetic counseling, and personalized care plans tailored to you and your baby’s unique needs.
We work closely with our patients' obstetrician to ensure seamless, coordinated care every step of the way.
What is maternal-fetal medicine?
MFM is the obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) subspecialty focused on high-risk pregnancy.
MFM physicians are board-certified obstetricians who see patients for a range of pregnancy-related problems and conditions. Our team takes time to review your history, teach you about issues that may affect the pregnancy, and provide recommendations to your primary obstetrician.
Most visits include a detailed ultrasound. Ultrasound of the fetal anatomy detects major structural anomalies. Evaluation may be limited by gestational age, position of the fetus, amount of amniotic fluid, how easily the sound waves penetrate the maternal tissues, etc. An ultrasound may not rule out all abnormalities.
A high-risk pregnancy requires special care because of problems with the pregnancy itself, a pre-existing maternal health condition, or a fetal complication. We can provide support before, during, and after a pregnancy
Do MFM physicians deliver babies?
At CMU Health, our MFM physicians do not deliver babies as they are consulting physicians. If your physician requests an in-hospital consultation, our MFM physicians see consults at Covenant HealthCare.
What conditions do MFM specialists treat?
- Preconception counseling
- Genetic disorders
- A history of birth defects
- Diabetes or other endocrine disorders
- Infectious diseases
- Recurrent pregnancy loss
Services we offer at CMU Health
Genetic testing may be offered for the following reasons:
- Previous child or pregnancy with a birth defect, or family history
- Fetus with a suspected abnormality
- Abnormal serum screening, abnormal cell-free DNA
Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) is an optional prenatal diagnostic test that takes a small tissue sample from the placenta to check for chromosomal abnormalities and genetic disorders and is done between 10-14 weeks gestation. Results usually take about 2-3 weeks.
Amniocentesis is a simple medical procedure used to obtain a small sample of amniotic fluid surrounding the fetus and is performed after 15-16 weeks. Results for an amniocentesis usually take 2-3 weeks.
Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) is done by maternal blood draw. This is called cell-free DNA testing, which may be used for detection of chromosomal abnormalities and may also be used to detect fetal blood type.
What to expect at an MFM appointment?
Please arrive 15 minutes early to your appointment. At your appointment, a very detailed ultrasound will be performed. This visit will last approximately one hour or longer. Please wear a two-piece outfit. We cannot videotape an exam or allow videotaping during the exam, but we will do our best to give you pictures to take home. Due to the nature of your visit, we allow one healthy adult to accompany you into the exam room and request that children do not attend.
Why choose CMU Health for maternity care?
One of the greatest advantages of our program is our location within the CMU Health Women and Children’s Center, where everything is conveniently located under one roof. We accept referrals from external obstetricians as well as from our obstetrics team within CMU Health.
Accessing comprehensive care from OB/GYN, pediatrics, and endocrinology in one location makes the experience easier and more convenient, so our patients can focus on what matters most: their health and their baby.
Through partnerships at our local teaching hospitals, Covenant HealthCare and MyMichigan Medical Center, our patients benefit from coordinated inpatient and outpatient services, advanced imaging, and multidisciplinary care.