Doha: Women seeking specialised checkups for complications in pregnancies are on the rise in Qatar.
Around 5,000 examinations are conducted by the Feto-Maternal Unit (FMU) every year, which was established in June 2002.
“There is a high demand for the specialised FMU at Women’s Hospital since around 17,000 births take place yearly at the hospital. The FMU has continuously developed in the last 10 years in order to cater to demand both from within the country and abroad,” said Shaikha Mahboob Al Dosari, Assistant Executive Director for Ambulatory Services at Women’s Hospital.
To deal with the issue, FMU has expanded its facilities and moved to a more spacious accommodation, a release said yesterday.
FMU, a member of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), is now transferred to a building near the hospital’s executive offices.
Formerly located near the Labour Room, expansion of the unit enhances access and delivery of this high-demand specialised care for women having high-risk pregnancies involving obstetric, medical, surgical or genetic complications.
Women who receive a high-risk diagnosis due to medical issues or past obstetric problems are referred to the FMU from the Outpatient Clinic and private hospitals. Patients from other countries seek advice from the FMU as well.
“Any woman can have an abnormal pregnancy, however factors such as consanguinity, history and age (especially those above 40) increase a woman’s chances of having an abnormal pregnancy,” said Dr Najat Ali Mohsen Khenyab, the Acting In-Charge of FMU.
The unit uses high-standard imaging techniques and has an advanced ultrasound machine to accurately diagnose babies with birth defects prenatally. FMU patients are examined by obstetric care specialists, unlike in an ordinary ultrasound unit.
“We do procedures on high-risk pregnant women to diagnose if the baby has chromosomal or genetic disorders,” said Dr Khenyab.
Depending on the stage of the pregnancy and the risk for genetic defect, the unit conducts tests such as chorionic villous sampling (CVS), amniocentesis and cordocentesis in order to detect abnormalities in the foetus.
The FMU complements regular obstetric care providers, co-managing complex cases such as patients with cardiac, autoimmune or renal disease, diabetes, hypertension, and seizure disorder.
Other cases involve expectant mothers who became pregnant at an advanced age, patients whose multiple marker screening (which involves a special blood test) results indicate a risk for chromosomal abnormalities and those pregnant with twins or more than two babies at the same time.
If a baby is diagnosed with a birth defect, the FMU works with neonatologists, paediatric subspecialists and other healthcare professionals to ensure seamless care for the mother and the baby. The unit helps coordinate intrauterine therapy, plans the mode and timing of delivery and provides a smooth care transition for the newborn infant via a delivery plan.
The Peninsula
