Northern Virginia's most experienced team for managing high-risk pregnancies
If you have a high-risk pregnancy, turn to the expert, compassionate team at Inova for the skilled, personalized care you need. Inova's maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) subspecialists, also known as perinatologists, work closely with obstetricians to provide the most advanced care in the region for high-risk pregnancies. With more deliveries than any other health system in the region, our patient volume gives us extensive experience in helping mothers and babies safely through delivery.
At Inova, you'll receive robust antenatal testing before delivery and access to multiple subspecialists, ready to support any possible pregnancy complication. Our staff is one of the most experienced in the region, diagnosing and treating thousands of patients with consistently excellent outcomes.
Conditions co-managed between MFM and OB-GYN
Our maternal-fetal medicine specialists and OB-GYNs work together to care for patients with complex pregnancies. In most cases, pregnant women continue to see their OB-GYN, while an MFM subspecialist provides recommendations, advice and support throughout the pregnancy. Multiple specialists collaborate, working toward a healthy delivery in complex cases, such as a mother or baby with a heart condition.
We care for a range of high-risk pregnancies, including:
You may have had high blood pressure before becoming pregnant. Or perhaps you developed hypertension during pregnancy. Inova's MFMs manage the condition to keep your blood pressure numbers in a healthy range.
Perinatologists can do this through:
- Medication management
- Increased ultrasound monitoring of the baby
- Early delivery when necessary
- Referral and coordination of care with Inova cardio-obstetrics specialists (See Inova Cardio-Obstetrics Program)
Hypertensive disorders we treat include:
- Chronic hypertension
- Gestational hypertension
- Pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, HELLP Syndrome
If you experience preterm labor (going into labor before week 37 in pregnancy), Inova's Maternal-fetal medicine subspecialists try to prolong the pregnancy for as long as possible. Providers may:
- Use medications
- Use specialized monitoring
- Perform surgical procedures such as cerclage, which reduces the risk of the cervix opening too early
- Admit you to the high-risk pregnancy unit at Inova Women's Hospital
If we cannot prevent preterm birth, Inova's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) provides excellent care for the smallest, most vulnerable babies.
If you have diabetes or another endocrine disorder, Inova MFM physicians provide expert management to keep you and your baby safe. OB-GYNs and MFMs work closely with specialists from Inova Endocrinology to help manage diabetes through:
- Patient education
- Dietary management
- Medication
- Insulin
Endocrine disorders we treat include:
- Gestational diabetes
- Type 1 and 2 diabetes
- Thyroid disorders
Liver disorders include:
- Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP)
- Hepatitis A, B and C
- Acute fatty liver
These disorders can lead to discomfort, preterm birth and serious complications, including stillbirth or risk of the mother's life. Inova's skilled physicians:
- Treat liver disorders during pregnancy
- Work together to provide healthy outcomes for mother and baby
- Prevent the spread of hepatitis from mother to child
If you are pregnant with twins, triplets or more, you have a higher risk of other complications, including preterm birth, hypertension and diabetes. Monitoring you and your babies throughout the pregnancy is crucial to a healthy outcome.
Multiples often need to stay in our NICU. Inova's Level IV NICU is equipped to care for the smallest, most vulnerable babies.