Mercy Maternal and Fetal Health Center - St. Louis

When pregnancy becomes complicated, you want doctors and nurses who can help you and your baby every step of the way.

At Mercy Maternal and Fetal Health Center - St. Louis, you’ll be cared for by some of the area’s most respected maternal and fetal medicine specialists. Our doctors work with your obstetrician to provide high-level care, including ultrasound and biophysical assessments and other sophisticated tests.

Additional services at our center include:

• Non-stress testing to monitor fetal heart rate.
• Biophysical profiles to observe baby's movement, breathing, muscle tone or amniotic fluid level.
• Doppler flow studies to measure blood flowing to the baby and detect signs of heart problems.
• Genetic counseling to provide information about birth defects, genetic disorders and genetic testing.

The Maternal and Fetal Health Center at Mercy Hospital St. Louis has been recognized with the AlUM Ultrasound Practice Accreditation for Fetal Echocardiology, one of only two certified centers in the St. Louis area, the other being Mercy Maternal and Fetal Health Center at Mercy Hospital South.

A fetal echocardiogram is a detailed ultrasound of the fetal heart completed when there is a high risk potential for a fetal heart abnormality or when a fetal heart abnormality is suspected during a routine fetal ultrasound. It gives a better view of the structure and function of an unborn child’s heart.

Mercy achieved this recognition through voluntary assessment which includes the training and qualifications of physicians and sonographers; ultrasound equipment maintenance; documentation; storage, and record-keeping practices; policies and procedures to protect patients and staff; quality assurance methods; and the thoroughness, technical quality and interpretation of the sonograms the practice performs.

Interuterine Blood Transfusions

When maternal fetal medicine physicians find that a mother and baby have different RH-negative and Rh-positive blood types, they may have to do an interuterine blood transfusion of the baby before he or she is born. One recent case involved a baby girl who had 12 such transfusions while still in the womb, followed by seven more after she was born.  Now a healthy one-year-old, she recently returned to the Maternal Fetal Health Center with her mother and father to visit the team who saved her life. Watch the story about this on Fox 2.

Genetic Counseling

Doctors may recommend genetic counseling for a variety of pregnancy concerns. A genetic counselor is a health care professional trained to educate families about issues related to birth defects, genetic disorders and genetic testing.

At Mercy Maternal and Fetal Health Center - St. Louis, board-certified genetic counselors help you understand the possibilities for your family and explore the testing options available. Counselors offer support without pressure to pursue any specific test or procedure. Instead, you are encouraged to make your own decisions based on what you feel is best for your family.

Genetic counselors are not physicians, but they do work closely with your doctor to provide you with the best possible care. Check with your insurance carrier to determine whether genetic counseling is covered under your health insurance.