Maternal-Fetal Medicine

The Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine provides comprehensive perinatal services to patients with high risk pregnancies. The Division provides primary obstetrical and medical care to high risk patients through our High Risk clinics as well as consultative services for high risk pregnancies referred by their primary providers elsewhere in the state of Virginia. We work collaboratively with referring providers and depending upon the obstetrical/medical condition and referring provider wishes deliver care across the continuum from care including delivery at the University of Virginia to intermittent consultation with delivery at local hospitals. We also provide a broad range of prenatal diagnostic services for patients at increased risk for birth defects or genetic problems. Our services include genetic counseling by certified genetic counselors who obtain history and provide risk assessment for patients considering prenatal diagnostic procedures. Our sonographers perform ultrasound examinations under the guidance of the perinatologist for all obstetrical problems or prenatal diagnostic indications. We perform procedures including amniocentesis, chorionic villus sampling (CVS), and percutaneous umbilical blood sampling (PUBS). The division participates in a broad-based program designed to provide risk assessment including first-trimester combined screening (including nuchal translucency and first-trimester serum screening) as well as second-trimester maternal serum screening.

The Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at the University of Virginia is the only service in the region that can provide complete perinatal and consultative services and can offer the services of the unique services of our level III Neonatal Intensive Care Nursery (NICU). Patients in our care can be assured of never needing to be transferred to a higher level institution, as all potential diagnostic and therapeutic options for both the patient and her baby are available at the University of Virginia. We are the only service in the region that provides a subspecialty trained perinatologist on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We are also the only service that provides the full range of prenatal diagnostic options including screening, ultrasound, amniocentesis, CVS, and umbilical blood sampling.

Our continued interest in teaching and research keeps us at the forefront of modern medical science and helps to provides our patients with the newest and most complete variety of diagnostic and therapeutic options available.

The Genetic Counselors within the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine include Logan Karns and Karen Ventura. Logan and Karen are both board-certified by the American Board of Genetic Counseling.

The sonographers working with the perinatologists in Maternal-Fetal Medicine include Heather Braunstein, Kaaren Kidd, Katie Karnes and Lauren Clark. These extraordinarily talented sonographers provide all forms of obstetrical ultrasound including guidance for procedures. They are all involved in continuing education of residents and medical students.

Our Maternal and Fetal Medicine Clinic is located at:

Battle Building
1204 W. Main St., 3rd Floor
Charlottesville, VA 22903

434.924.2500 or 800.251.3627