Maternal Fetal Medicine Services Provide Prenatal Care Close to Home
When Amy Elzea visited her midwife for a routine anatomy scan at 20 weeks, she received news that she wasn’t expecting. “During a routine scan, they found what they thought was a clubbed foot in our son and we were referred to The University of Kansas Health System for a follow-up,” Elzea said. Amy Elzea and her husband, Patrick, traveled to downtown Kansas City to meet with a physician at the hospital for another scan to confirm the diagnosis.
The recommended treatment was for Elzea to see a maternal fetal medicine specialist every four weeks to check and see how the baby’s foot and bones were aligning as he continued to grow. Making the journey to the metro each month could have been a daunting task but fortunately, Elzea had another option available – visiting The University of Kansas Health System’s Advanced Maternal and Fetal Care clinic at the LMH Health West Campus.
Advanced Care and Strategic Collaboration
LMH Health welcomed the clinic in December 2021 to provide advanced care to both mother and baby prior to, during and shortly after pregnancy. Having such a specialized clinic close to home has been made possible by LMH’s strategic clinical relationship with The University of Kansas Health System. “Offering this service to our community and patients not only allows us to provide better care close to home, but allows our patients time back in their day to avoid traveling into the KC area for care,” said Jared Abel, LMH Health vice president of strategy and clinic operations.
Comprehensive Services for High-Risk Pregnancies
Seven physicians and specialists from the advanced maternal fetal medicine team care for patients at the LMH Health West Campus. They take turns rotating through the clinic on Tuesdays to help detect, monitor and treat high-risk pregnancy conditions, allowing patients early access to specialty care.
Common conditions managed by the maternal fetal medicine team include:
| Category | High-Risk Conditions and Examples |
|---|---|
| Maternal Health | Autoimmune diseases, Chronic hypertension, Gestational diabetes, Preterm hypertension |
| Fetal Complications | Congenital heart disease, Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, Severe Intrauterine Growth Restriction, Clubbed foot |
| Obstetric Concerns | Cervix insufficiency, Triplets, Structural malformations |
Expertise in Imaging and Diagnostics
Marc Parrish, DO, a perinatologist with The University of Kansas Health System, said patients may be referred to the clinic for a number of reasons, including high-risk pregnancy care and referrals for second opinions on ultrasounds. “Our team uses machines with higher resolution, allowing us to provide a higher level of detail in the ultrasound interpretation,” he said. The sonographer and physician who are onsite are adept at looking for structural malformations in a baby or for any signs that a genetic condition could be present. Their trained eyes and the quality of the imaging are vital and allow the team to immediately interpret the results.
Some expecting mothers seen in the clinic have pre-existing conditions that their OB-GYN might not be comfortable managing due to the potential risks, such as lupus or triplets. Other conditions, such as insulin dependent diabetes, may be co-managed between the local obstetrician and the perinatologist. Parrish noted: “In other cases, the patient’s primary obstetrician may have seen something concerning on a routine ultrasound which prompts them to refer the patient to us for a second opinion.”
Academic Excellence and Training
The Department of OBGYN at KU Medical Center focuses on educating future health care professionals by offering medical student rotations, a residency program and fellowship programs. The academic programs include:
- Maternal Fetal Medicine Fellowship
- Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship
- Academic Specialist Fellowship
- OB/GYN Residency Program
The Obstetrics and Gynecology Training Program balances a structured teaching environment with robust clinical services to train compassionate professionals to provide outstanding health care for women. Our providers are committed to educating the next generation of leaders through training, mentoring and lectures with medical students, residents and fellows.