tech at maternal fetal medicine clinic performing a detailed ultrasound on a female patient

High Risk Pregnancy Care

When a pregnancy is potentially high risk because of age or pre-existing medical conditions, both mother and child need a special kind of care.

Maternal Fetal Medicine

Maternal Fetal Medicine is available in this region only at North Mississippi Medical Center's Women's Hospital in Tupelo. A satellite clinic is held each month at NMMC Gilmore-Amory.

A high-risk pregnancy is one in which some condition puts the mother, the baby or both at an increased risk for complications during or after pregnancy and birth.

A woman’s OB-GYN may refer her to a maternal fetal specialist for many reasons—including managing multiple gestations (complex twins, triplets or more); monitoring preeclampsia or incompetent cervix; counseling for age-related risks, screening for Down syndrome and other issues.

Some women need only a single consultation before or during pregnancy to help them prepare. Others may need regular prenatal visits to the maternal fetal specialist to monitor their condition or perform fetal assessments with ultrasound.

We work closely with the mother’s OB-GYN, sending test results and recommendations after each office visit. The OB-GYN remains the mother’s primary caregiver and will continue to see her for regular visits and, in most cases, delivery.

From genetic counseling to targeted sonography, NMHS offers the highest level of care from preconception through delivery. We care for all stages of life, including the very first.

Who is at High Risk?

Maternal Fetal Medicine specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and care of expectant mothers and their unborn babies who may be a high risk for health problems, including:

Multiple gestations (complex twins, triplets and more)
Hypertensive disorders (preeclampsia)
Diabetes
Heart disease
Seizure disorders
Lupus
Blood clotting disorders
Prior pre-term birth
Advanced maternal age
Cervical insufficiency
Placental abruption (premature separation)
Family history of genetic disorders
Previous child with Down syndrome

Specialized Services

Pre-conception counseling
Fetal echocardiography
Genetic counseling
Second trimester screening
Prenatal diagnostic procedures
3D and 4D ultrasound
Targeted sonographic evaluation of fetal anomalies and growth disorders
Cell-free fetal DNA (non-invasive prenatal testing)
Fetal echocardiography
First trimester aneuploidy screening for Down syndrome and other anomalies)

Baby-Friendly Designation

North Mississippi Health Services hospitals in Tupelo, Amory and West Point have earned the highly prestigious international Baby-Friendly designation after a rigorous review process.