Advanced Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) specialists at Riley at IU Health can guide your family through a complicated pregnancy, protect the health of your unborn child and offer peace of mind through pregnancy counseling.
What is a Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) Specialist?
What is a Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) Specialist?
Maternal-Fetal Medicine, or perinatology, is the care of mothers and fetuses during high-risk pregnancies. You might choose an MFM specialist because of a past pregnancy complication, a chronic medical condition or an unexpected maternal health issue. Whatever your situation, our team of experts is committed to delivering the best possible results for your family.
Expectant mothers often come to us through a referral from their OB/GYN or family doctor. Our MFM specialists differ from other obstetricians and gynecologists because of their extra training in two areas:
- High-risk pregnancies: A high-risk pregnancy doctor can treat and monitor expectant mothers with medical conditions such as high blood pressure or pregnancy complications.
- High-risk babies: We provide highly-skilled care for babies who have birth defects or development problems. Our team uses advanced diagnoses and treatments that support optimal health—before, during and after delivery.
We assemble all the specialists needed to manage your and your baby’s health.
Why See a Riley Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) Specialist
Why See a Riley Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) Specialist
Our integrated approach to caring for expectant moms and newborns gives families access to important resources for high-risk pregnancies, including:
Expert Prenatal Evaluation
Our Prenatal Diagnosis Program evaluates mothers and babies through various tests, such as prenatal blood tests and prenatal ultrasound. We also have targeted diagnostic tools that are more advanced than the early tests used to screen mothers and unborn children for possible health problems. This allows our specialists to give early care to moms or baby for many conditions. Families affected by a genetic condition also benefit from our expert team of genetic counselors who can address their concerns.
Customized Care for You and Your Baby
In a prenatal appointment, our doctors answer your questions and consult with you to develop a plan of care that covers you and your child. Rather than sending you from one specialist to the next, we are all in the same room—at the same time—to offer a clear picture of your situation. We explain how your baby’s birth will go and a likely path after you deliver.
The Right Care at the Right Time
Babies with one or more health problems may start life in one of our statewide neonatal intensive care units (NICU) or the Level IV NICU at Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health—the highest level of care for newborns requiring advanced care and treatment. Our NICU is also one of the largest in the Midwest.
Any baby who receives care at our Level IV NICU at Riley at IU Health may have a higher risk for developmental delays. These children are eligible to participate in our Newborn Follow-up Program, a free program that follows babies closely through their first two years to make sure they have early treatment if needed. As Indiana’s only nationally-ranked healthcare resource for children, we are prepared to manage your child’s care for as long as you need us.
Support for You & Your Family
For many families, navigating a hospital or a health condition is a foreign experience. We want every family to feel as comfortable as possible at Riley at IU Health. Our partnership with your family may start with NICU Nest—a program developed by parents who have been where you are. They provide tours of labor and delivery and the Level IV NICU at Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health. NICU Nest helps you tap parental resources, including the NICU Companion App and educational materials to help you learn to care for your baby at home.
We also offer financial counseling to help your family manage the expense of healthcare and bereavement counseling to support families through the emotional trial of a health challenge. Our neonatal and maternal-fetal medicine nurse practitioners serve as ambassadors to families. Their job is to aid communication that flows between Riley at IU Health specialists, you and any referring physicians.
Conditions & Services
Maternal-Fetal Medicine Conditions Treated
Our board-certified, nationally known physicians use advanced research, diagnosis and treatments to care for you and your baby. Here are just a few of the conditions the Riley Maternal-Fetal Medicine department treats.
- Abdominal Wall Defects
- Chronic Hypertension
- Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH)
- Congenital Heart Disease
- Gastroschisis in Babies
- Gestational Hypertension
- Hirschsprung's Disease
- Hydrocephalus
- Hydronephrosis
- Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS)
- Neuroblastoma
- Omphalocele
- Prior Preterm Birth
- Spina Bifida
- Tracheoesophageal Fistula
- Ventricular Septal Defects
Maternal Conditions
| Antiphospholipid Syndrome | Asthma in Pregnancy | Cervical Insufficiency |
| Gestational Diabetes | Maternal Acquired Cardiac Disease | Maternal Congenital Heart Disease |
| Pre-existing Diabetes | Prior stillbirth | Prior Venous Thromboembolism or Deep Venous Thrombosis |
| Recurrent Pregnancy Loss | Rheumatologic Diseases | Substance Abuse in Pregnancy |
| Systemic Lupus Erythematous | Thyroid Disease in Pregnancy |
Fetal Conditions
| Amniotic Band Syndrome | Anencephaly | Bladder Outlet Obstruction |
| Brain Malformations | Bronchopulmonary Sequestration | Congenital Heart Block |
| Congenital Pulmonary Airway Malformation | Duodenal Atresia | Encephalocele |
| Hydrops | Platelet Alloimmunization | Pleural Effusions |
| Red Blood Cell Alloimmunization | Skeletal Dysplasia | Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS) |
Maternal-Fetal Medicine Services Offered
| Abnormal Placentation Evaluation | Extensive Ultrasounds | Follow-up Ultrasounds |
| Multifetal Pregnancy Management | Preconception Consultation |
Doctors and
Locations
Doctors
4.6 out of 5 stars
(118 ratings)
Score is an average of all responses to care provider related questions on our nationally-recognized NRC Health Patient Experience Survey.
Learn About SurveyObstetrics & Gynecology, Maternal & Fetal Medicine
317.944.7010
4.7 out of 5 stars
(92 ratings)
Score is an average of all responses to care provider related questions on our nationally-recognized NRC Health Patient Experience Survey.
Learn About SurveyObstetrics & Gynecology, Maternal & Fetal Medicine
317.944.7010
4.9 out of 5 stars
(255 ratings)
Score is an average of all responses to care provider related questions on our nationally-recognized NRC Health Patient Experience Survey.
Learn About SurveyObstetrics & Gynecology, Maternal & Fetal Medicine
765.751.2650
Find a Location Near You
Find a Location Near You
In addition to our primary hospital location at the Academic Health Center in Indianapolis, IN, we have convenient locations to better serve our communities throughout the state.
Sort through 6 facilities offering Maternal-Fetal Medicine care by entering your city or zip below.
Related Programs & Departments
Related Programs & Departments
We provide multispecialty care for a number of conditions. Below are links to our related programs & departments.
- Adults with Congenital Heart Disease
- Cardiovascular Genetics Program
- Fetal Center
- Maternity & Newborn Health
- Medical & Molecular Genetics
- Neonatology (NICU)
- Newborn Follow-up Program
- Outpatient-Based Opioid Treatment Program
- Prenatal Diagnosis Program
- Reproductive Health Program for Adolescents & Young Adults with Congenital Heart Disease
- Riley Heart Center
Related Stories
Related Stories
Celebrating pregnancy milestones with Fetal Center photo booth
Patients in the Riley Fetal Center spend a lot of time going to appointments due to complications during pregnancy. Courtney Espinosa, a family support coordinator with the NICU Nest team, wanted to help create something for these families to do during their long days in the clinic that would bring some positivity to a stressful experience. So, she set up a pregnancy milestone photo booth in one of the private waiting rooms. Fetal center patients may miss out on things like maternity photos due to preterm deliveries. This new photo area gives them a chance to capture the progression of a pregnancy even between appointments.
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PODCAST: Maternity Matters - Indiana report on maternal mortality finds increased number of deaths, most happened in postpartum period
The latest Indiana Maternal Mortality Report found there were 92 pregnancy-associated deaths in 2020 happening during pregnancy or within one year of the end of pregnancy. The expert committee also found that 79 percent of these deaths were preventable. Dr. Carrie Rouse, medical director for Riley Maternity Services and member of the committee, joined us on this episode to delve into the findings of this report. She shared the most noticeable trends in these deaths and how additional support for maternity patients could make a positive impact in the future.
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Health Professionals
For Health Professionals
Riley at IU Health reaches out to Indiana’s healthcare professionals to improve care for mothers and babies through training. Follow our links to learn more about continuing medical education opportunities happening around the state.
Maternal-fetal specialists welcome referrals from gynecologists, obstetricians, primary care physicians and other healthcare professionals. To arrange care for patients who are at risk for a complicated pregnancy, contact us at 317.944.7010 or by fax at 317.968.1028.
Refer A Patient
Contact Maternal Fetal Medicine at 317.944.7010 or by fax at 317.968.1028.
Refer A PatientResearch
Riley at IU Health maternal-fetal specialists use evidence-based techniques informed by research, including collaborative studies with the Indiana University School of Medicine. Our physicians study a wide range of health problems, including research to identify new methods for detecting and treating women at risk for premature birth, which can increase the rate of infant mortality and give surviving children a higher risk of cardiovascular, lung and metabolic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes later in life.
Education
We provide specialized training in prenatal diagnosis, labor and delivery, ultrasound imaging and high-risk or complicated pregnancies. All medical students, residents and fellows involved in training or care are fully supervised by experienced physicians at Riley at IU Health.