Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialists of Tennessee, part of Pediatrix Medical Group

About Our Practice

Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialists of Tennessee, part of Pediatrix Medical Group, provides expert medical care to those seeking prenatal diagnosis or requiring specialized care for a medical condition, fetal concern or obstetrical complication.

The specialists at Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialists of Tennessee understand that being referred to a specialist during your pregnancy may be overwhelming. We want to assure you that we are prepared to care for your pregnancy concerns, ranging from routine prenatal testing to expertise in complications during pregnancy. Referrals to our office do not mean a mother will necessarily have a “high-risk” pregnancy or that the baby will have problems after birth.

Whatever the reason for your visit, our professionals will work closely with your primary obstetrician to devise a plan of care. Your primary obstetrician will select the level of our involvement needed. This promotes a coordinated approach to evaluation and management of your pregnancy. Common reasons for referral to our office may include:

Routine prenatal diagnosis
Maternal age over 35
Previous pregnancy complication, such as stillbirth, recurrent loss or preterm birth
Multiple gestations (twins, triplets, etc.)
Suspected birth defect
Family history of a genetic condition
Chronic or acute medical disease, such as diabetes, hypertension, autoimmune disease or clotting disorder
Current obstetric condition, such as short cervix, preterm labor or abnormal placenta

Hospital Affiliations
- Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital
- TriStar Centennial Women’s Hospital
- Hendersonville Medical Center
- TriStar Centennial Medical Center
- TriStar Summit Medical Center
- Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford
- Williamson Medical Center
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Nashville General Hospital
Accepted Insurance
- BCBS of Tennessee (Network P, S, CoverKids, BlueCare, and Out of State BCBS policies facilitated through Networks S and P)
- Cigna and Great West Healthcare
- United Healthcare and all commercial products affiliated (branded with United Healthcare logo)
- Humana
- PHCS, Multiplan
- Aetna
- Tricare (North, South, Prime)
- Center Care
- North American Administrators
- Amerigroup (TennCare and Medicare Replacement)
- UHC River Valley (formerly Americhoice, TennCare and Medicare Replacement)
- Beech Street
- Bluegrass Family Health
- Coventry Health
- Kentucky Medicaid and MCO administering claims (Well Care, Coventry Health, Passport, Kentucky Spirit)
- Medicare Parts A&B (Cahaba)
- Signature Health Alliance
- VA Tennessee Valley
If your insurance is not listed, please contact our office to discuss alternative options. Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialists of Tennessee will make every effort to either secure an out-of-network authorization or arrange a mutually affordable payment plan if necessary.

Outpatient Services

Consultation with co-management: initial consultation and continued management of any maternal/fetal conditions
Consultation only: consultation with recommendations for further management by the primary OB provider
Ultrasound services only: for fetal anatomy assessment, cervical length and/or fetal well-being testing or any other sonographic/diagnostic services (CVS, amnio, etc.)
Diabetic management with nutritional/diabetic counseling and education
Anticoagulation management/post-partum Coumadin management

Inpatient Services

Consultation with co-management of maternal/fetal conditions requiring hospitalization, including indicated procedures
One-time consultation to outline recommendations for further management
Transport: Acceptance and management of patients requiring transport to a tertiary care medical center with a Level III neonatal intensive care unit.

Services Offered

Amniocentesis
Antenatal (Prenatal) Testing (Screening)

Antenatal or prenatal diagnostic screening, refers to a variety of testing options available to determine if a fetus has certain abnormalities. Many of the tests are conducted by an obstetrician (OB) as routine prenatal screening, including ultrasound, nuchal translucency screening and testing of a pregnant woman's blood to help estimate the risk of certain abnormalities. When a test indicates a higher risk, additional tests are available to further analyze the fetus. These additional tests, such as amniocentesis and chronic villus sampling, are often more invasive and have additional risks to the fetus and should be conducted by a maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) specialist.
Chorionic Villus Sampling

CVS is a diagnostic test to screen for chromosome abnormalities and inherited disorders by analyzing the chorionic villi cells from the placenta. The placenta cells are collected either transcervically, using an ultrasound guided catheter inserted through the cervix to gently suction the cells, or transabdominally, through a long thin needle inserted into the placenta through the abdomen.
Diabetes Management in Pregnancy

Women diagnosed with diabetes before or during pregnancy have difficulties producing the appropriate amount of insulin to process glucose, or sugar, in their bodies. Improper management of diabetes during pregnancy can lead to serious health problems for both the mother and baby. A maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) specialist is specially trained to treat women with diabetes during pregnancy. Through frequent prenatal visits, an MFM specialist can monitor and provide recommendations to help manage blood glucose levels through a combination of healthy eating, exercise and medications.
Fetal Echocardiogram
First Trimester Prenatal Screening

While most pregnant women will give birth to healthy infants, some infants are born with physical and mental disabilities. In some infants, the problem is a chromosomal abnormality such as Down syndrome, Trisomy 18 or 13, where there is extra chromosomal material that leads to serious intellectual disability and birth defects. Although any woman can give birth to an infant with a chromosomal abnormality, the risk increases gradually with age. Chromosomal abnormalities are diagnosed by amniocentesis or chorionic villous sampling (CVS). These procedures carry small risks of miscarriage (amniocentesis is about 1in 500, and CVS is about 1in 100). Although there are no alternative tests for an accurate diagnosis, non-invasive alternatives, referred to as screening tests, are available. Available screening tests are typically performed in either the first or second trimester.
Genetic Counseling

Support provided by a genetic professional or qualified physician to the patient and the doctor by identifying genetic risk, discussing family history, explaining available testing options and implications of test results, as well as providing patient education. Genetic counselors or qualified physicians, act as patient advocates translating medical and scientific knowledge into practical information. In addition, resources are available to provide support to anyone who may be at risk for a variety of inherited conditions or birth defects, such as cystic fibrosis or disorders common to a particular race or ethnic group. This information is provided in a non-directive, unbiased manner and allows the patient to make their own decisions regarding testing options.
High-Risk Obstetric Care and Consults

An extra level of care available to women at risk of experiencing problems during or after their pregnancy. A variety of risk factors can make a pregnancy high-risk, including advanced maternal age, chronic health conditions, problems with a previous pregnancy and problems that develop during pregnancy. A high-risk pregnancy means the baby is at a higher risk of having health problems during pregnancy, birth or after delivery. Women having a high-risk pregnancy should be seen more frequently for close monitoring by a maternal-fetal medicine specialist, a physician specially trained to treat high-risk pregnancies.
High-Risk Ultrasound

A high-risk ultrasound enables a maternal-fetal medicine specialist (also called a perinatologist) to identify potential problems of a fetus using advanced ultrasound equipment. The high-risk ultrasound allows specialists to examine the developing baby's organs, umbilical cord, amniotic fluid levels, placenta and fetal heart rate to help determine if the fetus is developing as expected.
Inpatient Consultation and Care
Management of Multiple Gestations (twins or more)

Pregnant women carrying multiples (twins, triplets, quadruplets, etc.) are at an increased risk of experiencing complications such as preterm delivery, low birth weight and preeclampsia. A maternal-fetal medicine specialist specializes in the care of women experiencing a high-risk pregnancy, such as multiples, and has the additional training and experience required to treat any complications experienced during a pregnancy.
Non Invasive Prenatal Screening

Pregnant women have access to a variety of tests to determine a baby's risk of Down syndrome, Trisomy 18 and open neural tube defects. Some newer testing methods involve only a blood test and an ultrasound, which can be done safely early in the pregnancy. These screenings are minimally invasive and do not pose any identifiable risk to the fetus. However, while they predict the likelihood that a particular condition is present, they do not provide definitive answers. For example, a "positive result" would not necessarily mean that a baby has a health problem, but it shows that the baby is at increased risk. Similarly, a "negative" result would not guarantee that no health problem is present. Other testing methods can provide a more definitive answer for the specific condition being investigated. However, these tests may pose a greater risk to the mother and fetus because often they are more invasive.
Pre-Conception Counseling

An evaluation of a woman's current health and medical history to help identify opportunities to better prepare the body for becoming pregnant and to counsel her on risks and management of future pregnancy. The evaluation may include a review of the patient's current lifestyle and medical/obstetric history, including current medications, screening and treatment for any infectious diseases, immunization updates, education and recommendations on behavior modifications to reduce risk factors.
Routine Pregnancy Ultrasound

Ultrasound is a method to get pictures or videos of the fetus (unborn baby). It can be used to help determine the due date, to find out whether there is only one fetus or multiples (twins, triplets, etc), to check on whether the fetus is growing normally, and to look for birth defects or other problems. The method uses sound waves to make the images, not x-rays or radiation. Ultrasound is painless and safe for both mother and fetus.
Special Ultrasound Exams

Our maternal-fetal medicine doctors have special training and certification to perform types of ultrasound that may not be available from a radiology service or a general obstetrician. These exams are performed in special situations, not in every pregnancy. Special exams include: Biophysical profile (A focused check of fetal movements and amniotic fluid (the liquid surrounding the fetus) to check on fetal well-being), Cervix length (If the cervix is short, there is a risk of preterm birth and special treatment might be needed), Doppler (Measurement of blood flow through certain blood vessels (umbilical cord, arteries in fetal brain, other blood vessels) to check on fetal well-being), Fetal echocardiogram (A detailed exam of the fetal heart to look for heart defects), 3-D Ultrasound (still pictures that appear 3-dimensional. These are used to get details for certain types of birth defects), 4-D ultrasound (Videos that appear 3-dimensional. These are used to get details of certain types of birth defects).
Ultrasound

Ultrasound imaging, also called sonography, is a method of obtaining diagnostic images from inside the body to help doctors with making diagnoses and treatment recommendations. Ultrasound is painless and does not use radiation, but rather uses sound waves that are reflected from various body tissues.

Conditions Treated

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that can develop during pregnancy in women who don't already have diabetes because of the body's inability to make enough insulin. While patients can sometimes manage the condition with lifestyle changes alone, some may require insulin and/or oral medication to achieve optimal glucose levels. Those who are diagnosed late in pregnancy typically respond well to lifestyle changes, whereas those diagnosed early on are more likely to require insulin as hormones naturally increase throughout the pregnancy.
Heart Disease
Hypertension

Hypertension or high blood pressure, can be present before pregnancy (chronic hypertension) or develop during pregnancy (gestational hypertension). Pregnant women with hypertension are at risk of developing preeclampsia, experiencing both high blood pressure and protein in the urine, which can lead to serious complications for both the mother and baby.
Kidney Disease
Morbidly Obese Patients
Prematurity
Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body does not make insulin. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body is unable to use insulin properly. Improper management of diabetes during pregnancy can lead to serious health problems for both the mother and baby. A maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) specialist is specially trained to treat women with diabetes during pregnancy. Through frequent prenatal visits, an MFM specialist can monitor and provide recommendations to help manage blood glucose levels through a combination of healthy eating, exercise and medications.