A specialist team of health care providers that provide assessment, monitoring, treatment and information to parents who have complicated pregnancies.

 

Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) specialists are obstetricians with further training and qualifications to manage complex and higher-risk pregnancies. They may be involved in your care if you have pre-existing health conditions, if you had a complication in a previous pregnancy, or if an unexpected finding or issue develops during your pregnancy. They will explain your screening results and possible investigations, and will help coordinate your care. They use ultrasound, blood tests and procedures such as amniocentesis to gather more information about your baby and help you make decisions about your pregnancy, and to guide you through the care of your pregnancy.

Mental health nurses are nurses with additional training in mental health and psychotherapy. They can provide non-directive counselling for families who have received an unexpected diagnosis during their pregnancy, and help to provide emotional and psychological support.

See the ACMHN Fact Sheet 'What is a Mental Health Nurse' for more (PDF).

 

A health care professional who specialises in the support of women and their families, through pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period.

 

Midwives are central to provision of pregnancy. In uncomplicated pregnancies, a midwife may be your lead care provider. In pregnancies with an unexpected diagnosis or medical condition, your midwife will still provide care and support during your pregnancy, birth (whether by labour and vaginal birth, or caesarean) and postpartum (including breastfeeding). Many midwives have areas of interest or focus, including high-risk pregnancies.

A type of medical imaging which uses strong magnets and electromagnetic waves to take pictures of inside the body.