High Risk Pregnancy

Most pregnancies do run their courses smoothly. But in the event that complications occur, the Woman’s Antepartal Unit and Maternal-Fetal Medicine Center are uniquely equipped to give you and your baby the most comprehensive care available.

The Antepartal (literally, “before childbirth”) Unit is a special high-risk obstetrical area at Woman’s reserved for pregnant women with high blood pressure, preterm labor, premature rupture of membranes, and gestational diabetes, as well as other problems that sometimes occur with pregnancy.

In the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Center, a maternal-fetal medicine physician is available in Woman's Hospital 24 hours a day. The expert staff includes doctors with specialized training and experience in the care of high-risk mothers and their babies; the only board-certified geneticist in Baton Rouge; registered nurses; certified sonographers (experts trained to perform ultrasound testing); and support personnel—all dedicated to the highest standards of care. The center offers specialized services for pregnancies with complications such as diabetes, preterm labor, high blood pressure and multiple births, as well as other prenatal complications. The diagnostic tests available at Woman’s Maternal-Fetal Medicine Center include high-resolution ultrasound, fetal heart studies and echocardiograms, umbilical blood sampling, and genetic tests such as amniocentesis, chorionic villus sampling, and screenings for Down syndrome and spina bifida. Services also include counseling for conditions such as cystic fibrosis, Tay-Sachs disease, sickle cell anemia, and other genetic conditions.

Maternal-Fetal Transport

Also, high risk mothers and infants throughout the Southeast Louisiana region can be transported to Woman’s Hospital by our neonatal and maternal-fetal transport teams. Your Woman’s doctor will advise you and help to coordinate if your pregnancy requires a stay in the Antepartal Unit or a consultation at the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Center.

While you’re there, specially trained obstetrical nurses will assess your condition often. Your doctor may also order additional testing