About Your Visit

Here’s what you can expect when you visit one of our Fetal Units.

  • Your appointment will last between 20 and 40 minutes.
  • You will be greeted by the Fetal Medicine Specialist Doctor and Fetal Medicine Midwife.
  • The doctor will spend some time talking to you to take a history and gain more information.
  • They will then perform a scan of your baby. During this time they will be taking measurements and reporting to the midwife who inputs these measurements onto a computer for your report.
  • Following the scan, they will present different management options for your pregnancy and support you in choosing the options that feel right for you and your family.
  • The doctor may offer further tests to investigate the fetal findings further. They may offer the following tests:
    • Blood Test
    • Amniocentesis
    • CVS
    • MRI
    • Internal Vaginal Scan
  • The doctor will write a report that you can take away.

Fetal Therapy

Some fetal conditions can be treated whilst the baby is growing in the womb. This may include intrauterine transfusion if the fetus is anaemic, laser treatment of twin complications, drainage of amniotic fluid and shunt placement if there is an unusual build up of fluid in the fetus. These fetal therapies are offered at St Michael’s Fetal Medicine Unit in Bristol.

Very occasionally a fetus may sadly be so unwell that the kindest option may be to stop the pregnancy. More information can be found here.