Most pregnancies are uncomplicated and result in the birth of a normal healthy baby. However some pregnancies require additional care for either the mother or her unborn baby (fetus) from a specialist Fetal Medicine Centre.

The Fetal Medicine Centre at Birmingham Women’s Hospital receives referrals from health professionals throughout the West Midlands and other centres around the country and provides the following services:

• Detailed ultrasound scanning (in the first, second and third trimesters) for the diagnosis and confirmation of fetal abnormality
• Fetal cardiac (heart) ultrasound scanning for the screening and diagnosis of fetal heart abnormality (between 11-14 weeks and at >18 weeks).
• Investigation, therapy and management of suspected or known fetal abnormality
• Co-ordination of the regional Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS) service
• Monitoring and treatment of women with Rhesus disease / Rhesus alloimmunisation.
• Diagnosis and treatment of Feto-fetal transfusion (twin-twin transfusion syndrome) syndrome, offering fetoscopic laser ablation.
• Pre-pregnancy counselling service for women with maternal medical conditions or previous fetal abnormality.
• Combined fetal medicine / genetics clinic.
• Investigation into the causes of recurrent miscarriage and later pregnancy loss.

These services are provided by a dedicated team of specialist Fetal Medicine Doctors (accredited by the RCOG), midwives and sonographers and supported by nursing assistants and administrative staff.

The Centre works closely with professionals from genetics, cytogenetics, antenatal screening and Birmingham Children’s Hospital amongst others, in order to provide seamless care for women and their families.

This website is aimed at giving patients and professionals access to a wide range of information on Fetal Medicine Centre services including patient information leaflets, sources of support, how to refer or get a referral to the centre, education and training opportunities in Fetal Medicine and evidence based guidelines.