UAB Study: New Clues to Common Pregnancy Disease
Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) are investigating potential factors contributing to the increasing incidence of high-risk pregnancies, a condition defined as any pregnancy that could create health problems for the mother or her baby. The work, conducted by specialists within UAB’s Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) division, focuses on identifying and managing complications arising from pre-existing maternal health conditions.
Certain health conditions are known to elevate the risk profile of a pregnancy, including diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, kidney disease and epilepsy, according to UAB Medicine. The MFM specialists at the UAB Women & Infants Center are available around the clock to address these challenges. The division specializes in the diagnosis and management of obstetric, medical, surgical, and fetal complications.
UAB’s MFM program is one of only 14 medical centers participating in the national Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network, facilitating research into high-risk pregnancies. This participation allows patients access to novel treatments not widely available. Specifically, treatments for mothers with a history of preterm birth have demonstrated a potential to reduce the likelihood of recurrence by as much as one-half, according to UAB Medicine.
The UAB MFM division provides a range of advanced care options, including first-trimester diagnosis, genetic testing and counseling, and 4D-ultrasound and fetal imaging. Genetic screening and counseling services are offered to assess the risk for genetic disorders, such as Down syndrome, particularly for women considered high-risk based on maternal age, medical status, or prior history. The division’s faculty includes 14 nationally recognized physicians board-certified in Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynecology, with one also board-certified in Medical Genetics.
UAB Medical West Women’s Center also provides pregnancy care and delivery services, catering to both normal and high-risk pregnancies. The center features a Level II Specialty Care Nursery equipped to support slightly underdeveloped or ill newborns expected to recover quickly, staffed by specially trained Neonatologists. The center maintains a 1:1 nurse-to-patient ratio during labor.
UAB Women & Infants Services emphasizes comprehensive care throughout a woman’s life, from routine OB/GYN visits and childbirth to menopause, and addresses issues such as infertility and gynecologic complications. The institution has not released details regarding specific findings from the recent study, but continues to offer services for a wide range of pregnancy-related needs.