During pregnancy, a woman’s medical needs are usually handled by an obstetrician, a physician who specializes in pregnancy, labor and delivery. However, sometimes a woman needs additional expertise and she is referred to a maternal-fetal medicine specialist -- an obstetrician who is trained in fetal medicine and high-risk pregnancies.
Under the direction of Dr. Robert Debbs, a renowned specialist with Penn Medicine and Shore Medical Center, our Maternity Care Center’s Maternal-Fetal Medicine Program provides these expectant mothers with the specialized care they need. Dr. Debbs has more than 10 years of maternal-fetal medicine experience and is board certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine.
A pregnancy is considered high risk when there are potential complications that could harm the mother, fetus or both. Complications can exist prior to or during pregnancy and include:
- Heart disease
- Cervical insufficiency, a weakened cervix making a woman more likely to miscarry mid-term or have premature delivery
- High blood pressure or preeclampsia (toxemia), a form of high blood pressure brought on by pregnancy
- Placental problems
- Multiple gestation pregnancy (twins, triplets or more)
- Diabetes or other endocrine disorders
- Infectious diseases
- Kidney or gastrointestinal disease
- Premature rupture of membranes
- Recurrent pre-term labor and delivery
- Recurrent pregnancy loss
- Congenital abnormalities (birth defects)
- Later age pregnancy
For more information about Shore Medical Center’s Maternal-Fetal Medicine Program, call 609-653-3636.
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