Service Details

You will be referred to our fetal medicine unit if an abnormality is detected during a routine scan, or if there is concern for the health of an unborn baby.

We offer

• Diagnosis and management of fetal abnormalities
• Management of complicated pregnancies
• Monitoring and treatment of women with rhesus alloimmunisation, alloimmune thrombocytopaenia and other abnormal red cell antibodies
• Management of monochorionic (sharing the same placenta) twin pregnancies
• Prediction and prevention of pre-term delivery

Referrals

If a sonographer suspects an abnormality during a scan they will let you know and refer you to our fetal medicine specialist.

You may also be referred if we are concerned about the growth of the baby, the fluid around the baby during your pregnancy, or if a screening test shows you are at an increased risk of having a baby with Down’s syndrome.

Clinics

We run regular clinics. When you come to see us we will carry out a scan to confirm the suspected diagnosis.

If we find there isn’t an abnormality you will continue with your planned maternity care.

If the diagnosis is confirmed we will explain what this means and discuss the options available for managing the condition. Depending on your condition you may continue to see us throughout your pregnancy.

For some conditions, such as twin to twin transfusion syndrome or fetal heart abnormality, you may need further assessment and treatment with another service.

We work closely with our colleagues in the neonatal intensive care unit at Tunbridge Wells Hospital, Great Ormond Street Hospital and the fetal medicine centres at University College London Hospital and King’s College Hospital to plan any care you need during your pregnancy and after your baby is born.

We have close links with all the hospitals we refer to and our fetal medicine specialists also run clinics at University College London Hospital.