Fetal Monitoring

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Perinatal Services: Monash Medical Centre, Clayton

Comprising:              
Fetal Diagnostic Unit
Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) – Pregnancy Care
Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) – Fetal Monitoring

The role of Perinatal Services is to assess maternal and fetal well being in the high-risk pregnancy and provide management plans to referring practitioners.  Our referral base covers Victoria, in particular the South East of the state, Tasmania, and Southern  NSW. We provide tests for both inpatients and outpatients and participate in research to facilitate improvements in fetal outcomes.

Fetal Diagnostic Unit

Provides:

• Tertiary assessment of pregnancies where there is concern about fetal development.
• Pre-pregnancy advice and counselling in regard to fetal abnormalities and fetal conditions.
• Information regarding the risks of fetal abnormalities and allowing patients to make an informed choice.
• Counselling regarding choices when known fetal abnormalities are present.
• Access to genetic counselling.
• Help in achieving the optimal outcome for the current pregnancy.
• Short notice access.
• Support and grief counselling.
• Access to coordinated and multidisciplinary expert advice.
• Advice about fetal risk related to medication, infection, chemical and radiation exposure.
• Services to colleagues:

1. Tertiary level diagnostic services.
2. A resource for advice.
3. Assist counselling and managing their patients.
4. Education of midwives, medical students and advanced trainees.

• Ultrasound (800 per anum)
• Prenatal testing
• Amniocentesis (280 per anum)
• Chorionic Villus Sampling
• Fetal blood sampling
• Placental biopsy
• Fetal Surgery and in-utero therapy (10 per anum)

1. Counselling – pre-pregnancy/pregnancy/postpartum (1300 per anum)
2. Joint consultation with specialist units eg. Genetics, paediatric surgery, cardiology, neurology, paediatrician.
3. Co-ordinated antenatal care with Maternal Fetal Medicine Unit in ongoing pregnancies

Maternal Fetal Medicine - Fetal Monitoring

Provide tests and reporting facilities including:

• Fetal assessment:
• Cardiotocographs (antenatal and intrapartum)
• Ultrasound assessments:
• Fetal biometry                                      
• Umbilical arterial blood flow velocity waveform
• Amniotic fluid volume assessment
• Fetal Biophysical profile
• Presentation assessment
• External Cephalic Version
• Amniotic fluid – reduction
• Fetal Blood Sampling for intrapartum pH analysis
• Maternal Assessment:   Blood pressure & Urinalysis
• Fax referral centre for interpretation and management of antenatal and intrapartum Cardiotocographs
• Education and credentialing for medical and midwifery staff across Southern Health.

                      

Maternal Fetal Medicine – Pregnancy Care
           
Outpatient clinic with admission bed card - 250 patients per annum
Provides: Antenatal care and management for women with high risk pregnancies either because of:

1. Pre-existing medical conditions
2. Past history of serious pregnancy problems
3. Development of serious complications with  current pregnancy
4. Ongoing pregnancies with fetal abnormalities.

Co-ordinated antenatal care with Maternal Fetal Medicine Unit.
Development of computerised database for:

• reporting of test results
• throughput,
• research 
• archiving purposes