Maternal-Fetal Medicine

The Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) Division comprises subspecialists who care for mothers and unborn fetuses with complex pregnancy related conditions, offering tertiary and quaternary care for patients from across a wide referral area. Our division members have special expertise in many fields including ultrasound, prenatal diagnosis, prenatal genetics, preterm labor, multiple gestations and perinatal infectious diseases. Patients with pre-existing medical issues, those who develop high-risk complications during pregnancy, those whose fetus has an anomaly and any patients in whom the need for tertiary care is anticipated, may be transferred to us during pregnancy.

Our specialists conduct consultations, diagnostic procedures and perform fetal therapies and interventions. We collaboratively manage women with chronic illnesses with other hospital specialist services. For example, there are dedicated clinics for endocrinological disorders of pregnancy, medical disorders of pregnancy, haematological disorders of pregnancy, multiple pregnancies and pregnancies in women with congenital or acquired heart disease (MAUDE). Care of complex fetal cases is organised through the Fetal Diagnostic and Treatment Group (FDTG). 

We have an active education program offering an MFM subspecialty residency program, and at the MUHC an advanced Obstetric and Gynaecologic Ultrasound Fellowship and a Genetics in Maternal Fetal Medicine Fellowship. Our members conduct research in a wide range of clinical settings. Our members are active in a number of national and international organisations including the SOGC (Genetics and MFM Committees), NAFTNET and ISUOG, and have contributed to several national guidelines.

Fetal Therapy Program

We offer tertiary and quaternary care for the unborn baby with complex needs. These cases are co-ordinated through the Fetal Diagnostic and Treatment Group. This is a multidisciplinary group consisting of maternal fetal medicine and paediatric specialists. Our Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) specialists conduct diagnostic procedures and fetal therapies. Paediatric subspecialties including genetics, general surgery, neurosurgery, urology, orthopaedics, radiology, neonatology and cardiology all contribute to the prenatal evaluation and postnatal management of complex fetal disease.

The Fetal Therapy Program at the MUHC is one of 21 fetal surgery centres that comprise the North American Fetal Therapy Network and is one of only four centres in Canada to offer fetoscopic fetal surgery. Amongst the antenatal interventions that are offered are:

• Fetal transfusion (MUHC, JGH)
• Shunt Placement (MUHC)
• Selective fetal reduction (MUHC, JGH)
• Radiofrequency ablative interventions(MUHC) EXIT procedures (MUHC)
• Selective fetoscopic laser photocoagulation of placental vascular communications for twin-twin transfusion syndrome (MUHC)
• Operative fetoscopy (MUHC)
• Interstitial laser therapies (MUHC)
   

Members

Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine