Experience with Maternal Fetal Medicine departments?

Hi everyone,

Just looking for your experiences if you have seen or been referred to a maternal fetal medicine unit/department. (Well, that is what it is called at our local large public hospital).

Did you see them for your whole pregnancy? Or just once? How often?
Why did you see them?
Did you have a natural birth?
Did you return to your previous "model of care" or just see OBs?

They've picked up that our DD has an irregular heartbeat (skipping every once every 3 or 4 beats) and I have an appointment next week with the maternal fetal medicine unit. I have had two previous straightforward and natural births under midwife led care and so I am a little worried about how things will pan out this time.

I know that the heartbeat thing is not uncommon and will probably resolve itself.

Bump! Surely someone must have seen them as it has taken 2.5 weeks for me to get an appointment! Help please - I am getting a little worried.

Sorry love, I don't. The only person on here I know of it third time lucky, she's really happy with the MFM and they have been treated really well. Maybe pm her?

sent from my watzamajig so may not make sense....

i was referred to MFM.. I don't have time to answer all Q's now, but i promise i'll be back..

I was too. Will be back

Thank you thank you! Looking forward to hearing about it, when you have time BAL.

Also, will PM 3rd time lucky to hopefully hear her story.

I attended the FMU at TCH for both my pregnancies. I am still not sure why I was referred for my 1st pregnancy except that I wa overweight. My first baby died at 41 weeks despite the "special" care I got at the FMU. The staff were wonderful. I was offered induction at 40 weeks with my daughter and asked to take a few more days.....this unfortunately was supported and my baby died.
For my 2nd pregnancy the staff were again wonderful and tracked everything well. The midwife was highly supportive of our wish for an early induction and also worked with me to try and keep intervention at lowest possible with this choice. I ended up with an emergency C/S.
I can't do anything except highly reccommend the FMU. The staff are great and understand people who are stressed.

Thanks Kateo for sharing your story. I am so sorry to hear that your first baby died :hug:
Did you see OBs or midwives at the FMU? Or a combination of both?

A quick bump for those who promised to be back - when you get a chance I'd love to hear your story. I am finding myself more anxious about both the appointment and process and also my DD's condition as the time nears - appointment is on Tuesday.

I had a follow through who had graves disease and needed to see MFM quite regularly to monitor the babe.

This was her 2nd bub so she was a tad use to it all and she went onto birth the babe vaginally.

In my observation the appointments where a way of monitoring the baby closely. Ultrasounds were a regularity and it's usually a specialist appointment rather than an OB or MW app.

I do think that part of you needs to be ready for things to change quite quickly at one of these appointments. Meaning if at an appointment they discover something serious it may be that they decide that baby needs to be born ASAP.

In your case I'm not sure what the path would be sorry. I wish I could help more.

All the best!
xx

Bloom - Sorry it took so long! Not really sure how much my story helps as I only saw the MFMU a couple of times as I never made the 3rd tri of pregnancy.

2008 - I have congenital heart disease so was immediately a high risk pregnancy. Add on the fact it was a mutiple pregnancy too. So I was referred to MFMU for my morph scan as apparently they thought there was chance of my heart disease causing growth restriction. 22weeks I had another scan and this time a paediatric cardiologist was there and did a thorough check of babies hearts as apparently they considered me to have a 5% chance of passing on a heart defect. babies were fine. 2 weeks later babies were born via c section, however I would have had them vaginally if they were in the correct position, but Twin 1 was breech and twin 2 was transverse.

2011 - Again considered high risk pregnancy, due to CHD but this time I had the added risk of premature birth. I had a cervical stitch placed at 14wks, so had regular (fortnightly) scans to ensure correct placement and cervix length. I didn't bother having this bub's heart checked by a cardiologist this time. Baby was born at 25wks vaginally due to placenta previa.

So to answer your questions:

Did you see them for your whole pregnancy? Or just once? How often? Whole pregnancy, but I didn't get far enough to know if this would have stopped. I highly doubt it though. I am pretty sure I would have been with them for whole pregnancy.
Why did you see them? As above.. It was mainly because I was high risk.. The whole time my babies health was fine (while they were inside)
Did you have a natural birth? Yes, once
Did you return to your previous "model of care" or just see OBs? I just saw OB's

I am assuming that in your case if Bub's heart rate goes back to 'normal' they may feel comfortable with you returning to your normal model of care, but I really am not sure. As I said above, I was referred there as a precaution due to my health, not the health of the babies.

Mine is a bit different because my involvement was due to my medical condition not my baby's, but my answers might help some. This was for my 1st pregnancy.

Did you see them for your whole pregnancy? Or just once? How often? I saw them throughout the pregnancy, i had appt with the high risk Ob each normally scheduled appt and saw a specialist who monitored my health monthly, and i think it increased at the end.

Why did you see them?
i have a rare neuro condition, and there is not a lot of info about pregnancy with this condition.

Did you have a natural birth?
i had a vaginal birth in hospital

Did you return to your previous "model of care" or just see OBs?
no, i stayed with them the whole pregnancy. i didn't have any issues that they could help me with, i think there was just interest in my condition.

ask as many questions as you want. this is still your body, baby, pregnancy and birth. :hug:

I saw mostly the midwife who was a specialist one at the FMU then if she felt it was needed or if I had questions she'd arrange an appointment with the Ob. I had heaps of choice with birthing including an early induction. We planned for a VB but little DS had other plans.
The midwife I saw even "freed up" her day when I ws being induced so hopefully she could be there for the delivery........no such luck and the emergency C?S happened before she could attend but the support was definately there as was follow up care after DS arrived.

Thanks Kateo for sharing.

Our appointment is today so I guess I will find out what it is all about today. Hopefully the heart has stopped skipping so many beats but at least we will have the best care if it is serious.

I have even packed a little bag of essential things like toiletries and PJs just in case I have to stay in (I'm a bit OCD like that!).

Good luck today Bloom. Take some paper and pen so you can write things down if you want to. It can be hard to remember everything when you get home again.

Thanks everyone for your tips and well wishes.

She still has the irregular heartbeat but nothing more serious underlying that.

The MFM were great - I saw a specialist sonographer, specialist OB, midwife and had my chart/report reviewed by the paed cardiologist. I will go back to the MFM in 4 weeks, in addition to attending my normal midwife appointments. BUT on top of that I need to have weekly monitoring so I will be attending the day assessment service once a week.

Just thought I would update everyone, if you are at all interested. (The OCD side of me likes to have a thread updated with latest info, just in case others are searching for info!).

Thanks for the update.. I hope all goes well for the rest of your pregnancy :)