Delivering hope for women with high-risk pregnancies
Getting pregnant, maintaining a fit pregnancy and delivering a healthy baby all seem so easy — millions of women do it each year. But it's not that easy for every woman. And, there are innumerable reasons why: maternal age, chronic-health conditions in the mother, problems with the fetus and other unpredictable conditions. But there is hope for the scores of couples in South Jersey who are wishing for a healthy baby — and it lies with the maternal-fetal medicine specialists at Virtua Health.
Led by nationally renowned maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) specialists — Ronald Librizzi, DO; Ronald Bolognese, MD, and Shailen Shah, MD — the MFM team is regarded for its highly qualified nurses and staff, advanced technology and compassionate care for families. "Our high-risk patients benefit from having one of the most high-caliber MFM teams," says Jeffry Komins, MD, vice president of medical affairs and chief of obstetrics and gynecology at Virtua Memorial. "Patients have access to the most sophisticated testing and treatment by a team who truly cares about them and their families."
Who is at high risk?
"Seventy-five percent of problems in pregnancy can be predicted from a patient's history and physical exam. However, problems can arise in even the healthiest patients," states Dr. Librizzi. "Women over age 35 are at a higher risk for problems, as well as women with chronic-health conditions (diabetes, high blood pressure), a family history of certain genetic disorders, prior problems with pregnancy (miscarriage or preterm labor) or women pregnant with multiples (twins, triplets). With the right care, these women still have an excellent chance of having a healthy pregnancy and a very healthy baby."
Sometimes, the fetus is at risk because of a congenital abnormality such as a heart defect or a genetic disorder. Most of these disorders are diagnosed through ultrasound or genetic testing.
"When a problem is diagnosed in either the mother or the fetus, the maternal-fetal medicine specialist becomes a silent partner to the woman's obstetrician," states Thomas Kay, MD, chairman of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Virtua Voorhees. "Together, we monitor the health of mom and baby, review any advanced tests or ultrasounds that may be needed and offer counseling. If the baby will need specialized care after birth, we connect parents while they're pregnant with the most qualified pediatric specialists. This helps them prepare for what lies ahead."
Treatment for problems in pregnancy ranges from weekly or monthly ultrasound monitoring to complex intravenous infusions and medication management — all delivered with the utmost care. "We spend a lot of time with the couples we treat, and they become part of our family," states Dr. Bolognese. "We're here to help them have a healthy pregnancy and to offer our support and care."
At a glance: maternal-fetal medicine at Virtua Health
- Virtua's state-of-the-art antenatal testing unit (ATU) provides a full spectrum of services including genetic testing and counseling, primary and high-resolution ultrasound, first trimester screening, amniocentesis, chorionic villus sampling, monitoring and echocardiography.
- Virtua's maternal-fetal medicine program was named a "Center of Excellence" by Philadelphia Magazine (May 2003).
- All of the registered nurses in the ATU are also registered diagnostic medical sonographers.
- The perinatal assessment team, which is comprised of health professionals from Virtua Health and Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, diagnoses fetal abnormalities and provides families with seamless care, accurate information, a newborn treatment plan, expected prognosis and social and psychological support.
- Virtua offers a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) staffed by a team of board-certified neonatologists, neonatal nurse practitioners and neonatal nurses who are in the hospitals 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The NICU offers the latest technology in ventilators, electronic monitoring and other medical therapies.
- Patients have access to leading-edge pediatric specialty care in cardiology, gastroenterology, neurology, neurosurgery, orthopaedics, endocrinology, pulmonology, general pediatric surgery, otolaryngology and urology through the Virtua/duPont Children's Health Program.
Research
- Virtua is a teaching institution affiliated with Thomas Jefferson University.
- Virtua is a designated site for the New Jersey Fetal Anomaly Registry, a registry for fetuses that are found to have an abnormality during pregnancy.
- In 2000, Virtua was one of only two hospitals in the nation chosen to test new 3-D fetal ultrasound technology.
- In collaboration with Thomas Jefferson University, the ATU staff recently completed work with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the development of first trimester screening for chromosomal anomalies. This screening is currently offered to all patients in the ATU.
Maternity support and outreach
- Virtua offers a perinatal depression program that includes depression screening after delivery in the hospital, education on treatment options, coordinated care with physicians, support groups and group counseling, and additional support through follow-up telephone calls.
- Patients have access to extensive prenatal and family classes including one-day prepared childbirth, breastfeeding classes and support groups, grandparents and sibling classes, and infant and child CPR as well as car seat fitting stations and car seat safety classes.
- If you are pregnant and have a question about medication or chemical, physical or drug exposures, Virtua, in coordination with the Southern New Jersey Perinatal Cooperative, offers a free and confidential hotline. For information, call 1-888-Virtua-3.