Maternal-fetal medicine and high-risk pregnancies

Maternal-fetal medicine specialists at Ascension Illinois specialize in managing potential risks for you and your baby.

High-risk pregnancy care in Chicagoland

Maternal-fetal medicine specialists at Ascension Illinois specialize in managing potential risks for you and your baby.

Why choose Ascension Illinois for high-risk pregnancy care

If you have a high-risk pregnancy, you want the right care team on your side. Maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) specialists or perinatologists — OB-GYNs with special training in managing high-risk pregnancies — at the Ascension Illinois High-Risk Pregnancy Center start by listening to understand you. Our experienced care teams provide personalized care during your pregnancy, delivery and postpartum, offering advanced testing, monitoring and treatment for complex pregnancies and coordinating care with your primary OB-GYN.

Understand high-risk pregnancy

A pregnancy may be considered high risk when you or your baby need extra monitoring or specialized care. This may be due to a medical condition, a complication that develops during pregnancy or certain factors, like carrying multiples (twins or triplets).

If your pregnancy becomes high risk, you may have questions, expectations and some worries. That’s why the MFM specialists at Ascension Illinois High-Risk Pregnancy Center listen to understand your concerns.

Symptoms of high-risk pregnancy

Tell your doctor if you have any of these signs during your pregnancy:

Bleeding or leaking fluid from the vagina
Blurry or impaired vision
Unusual or severe stomach pain or backaches
Frequent, severe, or constant headaches
Contractions, where your stomach muscles tighten, before 34 weeks that happen every 10 minutes or more often
Decrease in baby's movements after 28 weeks
Dizziness
Excessive vomiting and diarrhea
Fever or chills
Pain or burning with urination
Swelling of face, fingers, and feet
Inability to tolerate foods or liquids
Muscular convulsions
Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby

How we diagnose high-risk pregnancy conditions

No two care plans are the same. But you can generally expect your care plan to include advanced prenatal testing and monitoring. Our MFM specialists use detailed imaging, screenings and evaluations to understand your health and your baby’s development. Together, you and your doctor will choose the testing and care that is right for you.

Prenatal diagnostic tests may include:

Amniocentesis is a procedure used to take out a small sample of the amniotic fluid for testing. This is the fluid that surrounds the fetus in pregnancy. Amniotic fluid is a clear, pale yellow fluid that:

Protects the fetus from injury
Protects against infection
Allows the baby to move and develop properly
Helps control the temperature of the fetus

A biophysical profile is a test that is sometimes used during the third trimester of pregnancy. It is often done if there is a question about the baby’s health. This may be because of other test results or certain pregnancy symptoms, or because your pregnancy is high risk.

Cervical cerclage is a procedure that helps support the cervix during pregnancy. It involves placing a stitch to help keep the cervix closed, which may reduce the risk of early delivery. Your care team will talk with you about whether this option is right for you and guide you through each step with care and support.

Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) is a prenatal test. It’s used to test for chromosomal abnormalities and other genetic problems. During the test, a tissue sample is taken from the placenta and sent to a lab for analysis. The placenta is a structure in the uterus that provides blood and nutrients from the mother to the baby.

Doppler flow is a type of ultrasound. It uses sound waves to measure the flow of blood through a blood vessel. The results are shown on a computer screen in lines called waveforms. It’s sometimes called Doppler velocimetry. A Doppler flow study may be used during pregnancy to check the health of the unborn baby (fetus). It checks blood flow in:

The umbilical vein and arteries
The baby’s brain
The baby’s heart
Other organs in the baby

Fetal echocardiography (echo) uses sound waves to check the heart of your developing baby. Fetal echo can help find heart defects before birth.

A fetal ultrasound is a test used during pregnancy. It creates an image of your baby in your womb (uterus). These tests are a safe way to check your baby’s health. During a fetal ultrasound, your baby’s heart, head and spine are evaluated, along with other areas. The ultrasound may be performed either on the abdomen (transabdominal) or inside the vagina (transvaginal).

First trimester screening combines fetal ultrasound and blood tests for the mother. It’s done during the first trimester of pregnancy, during weeks 1 to 12 or 13. It can help find out the risk of the baby having certain birth defects. This includes chromosome defects, such as Down syndrome (trisomy 21), or trisomy 18 or 13.

Intensive care for newborns

Not every pregnancy requires advanced care, but if you do, have the peace of mind knowing that you’re connected to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) care at Ascension Illinois.

Level III birthing centers — the highest designation in the state of Illinois — have a NICU and antepartum unit, which offer the highest level of perinatal care for babies and mothers with highly complex needs requiring different types of specialized care.