Ob/Gyn & Women’s Health Institute Outcomes

Outpatient Maternal Fetal Medicine care at the Cleveland Clinic encompasses both ultrasound surveillance for routine pregnancy management as well as dedicated care for high-risk pregnancies related to maternal and fetal disease. An uncomplicated pregnancy will typically involve at least two ultrasounds with MFM, and higher risk pregnancies involve many more, so all obstetric patients in our health system have numerous encounters with the Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine. For pregnancies complicated by chronic maternal medical conditions, history of prior adverse pregnancy outcome, fetal diagnoses such as a genetic condition or structural anomaly, or a new pregnancy complication like gestational diabetes or preeclampsia, comprehensive consultation and regular surveillance with MFM can be required throughout pregnancy. As our obstetric patient population has grown, the volumes of routine pregnancy sonographic surveillance and high-risk pregnancy care continue to increase. The Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine sees patients at 14 different sites across Northeast Ohio, facilitating access to MFM care throughout the region, and runs multiple specialized clinical initiatives including a Fetal Care Center, a Cardio-Obstetrics clinic, a diabetes in pregnancy program, and a resident and fellow teaching clinic. Our MFM sub-specialists with dedicated clinical interests in prenatal genetics and diagnosis, fetal interventions, maternal chronic disease and critical illness, placental complications, and obstetric quality, safety, and equity, bring this expertise to our growing volume of patient encounters and also work on research and innovation in these areas to optimize MFM care for Cleveland Clinic’s pregnant population and obstetric patients everywhere.

The Fetal Care Center at the Cleveland Clinic is a multidisciplinary program providing comprehensive care and advanced fetal diagnostics and intervention for pregnancies complicated by fetal anomalies or other obstetric conditions that may require fetal therapy or surgery. Harnessing the expertise of a range of specialists, including maternal-fetal medicine, perinatal genetics, neonatology, anesthesiology, and a range of pediatric subspecialists including pediatric/fetal surgery, cardiology, and radiology, our collaborative approach provides a complete and individualized care plan centered on achieving the best possible outcomes for women and families facing challenging circumstances. Our program also has four dedicated perinatal coordinators who provide education and resources, and support pregnant women and families throughout the entire care process from diagnosis through fetal intervention, delivery, and care after birth. The Special Delivery Unit, a complete labor and delivery unit housed within Cleveland Clinic Children’s, provides a setting for our multidisciplinary team to address complex maternal and neonatal care needs by brining all the available expertise of the Cleveland Clinic to delivery.

Our Fetal Care Center provides care for patients regionally and nationally, and is the only program in the region providing comprehensive fetal therapy.

Our Fetal Care Center received a total of 648 referrals in 2022, 158 of which were maternal, 460 fetal and 30 for concurrent maternal and fetal concerns. Since the initiation of the Fetal Surgery Program in February 2019, our fetal surgery team has performed 56 fetal surgeries with excellent outcomes. In addition to meningomyelocele repair, our fetal surgery team has also performed EXIT procedures for fetal neck and lung lesions as well as open fetal cardiac surgery. We performed 150 deliveries in 2022 at our Special Delivery Unit (SDU) where we care for our highest-risk mothers and neonates.