Fetal Medicine Unit (FMU)

The FMU provides a comprehensive service throughout pregnancy in the diagnosis and management of all fetal conditions. Our fetal medicine and neonatal services are nationally recognised centres of excellence and our close relationship with Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children allows us to offer unrivalled antenatal and postnatal care.

Our Fetal Medicine Unit provides specialist care for babies before birth, offering expert assessment, diagnosis, and ongoing support for families. Sometimes a routine scan or test may suggest that a baby needs closer monitoring during pregnancy and further tests may be offered. We understand this can feel overwhelming and our role is to guide you through every step with clarity, compassion and expertise.

You will be cared for by a dedicated multi-disciplinary team which may include Fetal medicine specialists, obstetricians, midwives, sonographers, geneticists, neonatologists, radiologists and surgeons. At your appointment, you can expect a detailed ultrasound scan and if needed, diagnostic testing such as a Chorion Villus sampling (CVS) or amniocentesis. Your team will explain the scan findings, answer your questions, and discuss next steps with you. We understand this can feel like an uncertain time, so our team will provide you with both medical expertise and pastoral support.

Our midwives will support you during your journey through FMU and are available to be contacted if you have further questions about your care.

Our neonatal team may be involved in the planning of care for after birth for some babies. Together as a team, we aim to ensure you receive clear information, personalised advice and a co-ordinated plan of care tailored to you and your baby’s needs.

Our midwives run a dedicated antenatal education class for parents who are expecting their baby(ies) to be admitted in the neonatal unit and transferred to Great Ormond Street for surgery.

Once we have received a referral, this will be triaged with our consultants and an appointment made in an appropriate time frame. You will either be called or receive a text message with this appointment.

On arrival to the department for your appointment, please check in at the FMU reception and take a seat in the waiting area. We will then call you through to the scan room for your appointment where you will meet the team facilitating your scan, and the midwife supporting the clinic. Your medical and obstetric history will be taken prior to the scan taking place. We will also explain what to expect from the appointment. Once you are happy with this, the scan of your baby will commence.

Once the scan is complete, we will explain the findings and discuss relevant options. You will have time to ask questions and consider your options. We will then arrange an appropriate ongoing plan of care.

UCLH is a teaching and training hospital. Therefore, during your appointment, there may be several members of staff present, including the consultant, a senior trainee and the midwife running the clinic. There may also be visiting doctors, medical students, and student midwives all of whom are in the process of learning. They will all introduce themselves and you should be asked whether you are comfortable to continue with the number of people present. If at any point you feel uncomfortable by the number of people present, please let the team know and they will accommodate your request.

Whilst every effort is made to see you on time, delays can occur due to the nature of the clinics, but you can expect to be kept informed of when you are likely to be seen. Please ensure you leave enough time to attend for your appointment.

Due to the sensitive nature of discussions during these appointments and the potential for procedures, we ask that you do not bring children to these appointments. You are welcome to bring your partner, family member or a friend for support during these appointments.

We are aware that you may be anxious about your appointment. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us and speak to one of our midwives by email or phone.

Where possible, scans will be offered abdominally. It is always better to have a full bladder rather than an empty bladder. This is because sometimes a full bladder helps us to see your baby more easily.

You are welcome to bring your partner, a family member or friend for support we kindly ask that you bring no more than two support people with you. Where possible, it is preferred that you don’t bring your children with you, but we understand that childcare can be challenging to organise. In the instance you need to bring your children, please ensure an adult you have brought with you can watch them during your appointment. This is in case you have any procedures or if your child requires attention during your consultation.

Please bring any pregnancy notes from your hospital with you if you are not booked with us, including any other medical letters or results you feel may be relevant for us to review.

Many parents find it helpful to write questions down ahead of your appointment, so you leave your consultation fully informed with all your questions answered.

We are here to provide the best possible care for you and your baby and to support you in making informed choices about your care.

Once your appointment with us has ended, please ensure you have made any follow up appointments with our reception team before you leave the department. You will be informed if you require follow up care with us.

As a department, we greatly support the advancement of scientific and clinical knowledge by conducting and participating in research. If appropriate, you will be given the choice to participate in research.

All our research projects have been formally reviewed by an ethics committee. It is up to you to decide whether to take part after listening to a team member who will discuss the study with you and provide an information leaflet.

If you decide not to take part in research, it will not in any way affect the care you and your family receive. Find out more about maternity research.

• Mr Robert Yates, consultant fetal and paediatric cardiologist 
• Dr Victoria Jowett, consultant fetal and paediatric cardiologist 
• Dr Michelle Carr, consultant fetal and paediatric cardiologist 
• Mr Stavros Loukogeorgakis, consultant paediatric surgeon 
• Mr Paolo Di Coppi, consultant paediatric surgeon 
• Ms Kathryn Ford, consultant paediatric surgeon
• Dr Tazeen Ashraf, consultant geneticist 
• Dr Alice Gardham, consultant geneticist 
• Professor Eleni Nastouli, consultant virologist 
• Dr Mary Petrou, consultant haematologist specialising in prenatal diagnosis 
• Dr Matko Marlais, consultant paediatric nephrologist 
• Mr Navroop Johal, consultant paediatric urologist 
• Dr Faidra Veligratli, consultant paediatric nephrologist 
• Dr Trevor Gaunt, consultant paediatric radiologist 
• Dr Kelly Pegoretti Baruteau, consultant neuroradiologist 
• Dr Maureen Dumba, consultant neuroradiologist 
• Dr Emma Allan, consultant paediatric radiologist 

All consultants within the Neonatal Unit form part of the multidisciplinary team in Fetal Medicine.