Fetal Medicine Unit

Contact details: Fetal Medicine Unit, St Michael's Hospital, Southwell Street, Bristol BS2 8EG

Tel. 0117 342 5470 Fax. 0117 342 5180 Location and directions

St Michaels

Referrals should be by phone or fax and not by posted letters (which can cause significant delays).

About the unit

This unit is the South West of the England's major referral center for Fetal Medicine, with over 2000 patient visits / year who are referred with a wide range of special problems. We undertake large numbers of invasive procedures including all the established complex therapeutic procedures. We also see patients from other parts of the UK regularly (e.g.Wales) for example for fetal cardiac defects. We are experiecned and skilled in the full range of Fetal Medicine practice including fetal growth restriction, multiple pregnancy (including laser therapy for the twin-twin transfusion syndrome), red cell and platelet allo-immunisation (including transfusion), non-immune hydrops, fetal physiology and new techniques of pre-natal diagnosis. We work closely with Fetal Cardiology when appropriate.

Click for our unit's general Patient Information Leaflet (pdf file)

Click for more detailed patient information.

Staff in the Unit

Screening in Pregnancy

Related Regional services

Web resources / links

We are part of the South West Fetal Medicine Network.

Clinics

We run consultant-led/delivered clinics on a daily basis. Patients can be referred by their consultant, general practitioner or midwife by telephoning the unit or faxing a referral form.

Monday	Mr Tim Overton Miss Rachel Liebling
Tuesday	Mr Mark Denbow
Wednesday am	Miss Rachel Liebling Professor Peter Soothill
Thursday	Professor Peter Soothill
Friday	Mr Tim Overton Mr Mark Denbow

What we do

Detailed ultrasound assessment

First trimester and nuchal assessment
Detailed fetal anomaly assessment
Growth and fetal Doppler assessment
Assessment of fetal anaemia (by MCA Doppler)
Fetal echocardiography
Uterine artery Doppler
Maternal cervical assessment

Diagnostic procedures

CVS
Amniocentesis
Fetal blood sampling

Therapeutic procedures

Fetal transfusion (blood and platelets)
Laser therapy
Amniodrainage
Cyst aspiration
Bladder shunt
Pleural shunt
Multipregnancy fetal reduction
Invasive fetal therapy (eg diathermy)

Teaching

We are a teaching unit and clinics are often attended by visiting doctors with an interest in fetal medicine, trainees and medical students. Please do not be surpised if an observer requests to watch your scan, procedure and appointment.

Research

We are actively recruiting to several studies at present. Please do not be surpised if you are invited to join an ethically approved research project. Learn more.