Pembroke Perinatal Center

Amniocentesis is a procedure in which a specialist uses a thin needle, guided by ultrasound, to collect a small amount of fluid from the amniotic sac. That fluid is sent to a lab to test for genetic conditions and, when needed, infections. It’s typically performed between 16 and 22 weeks, most often after a screening result or an ultrasound finding that calls for a closer look.

Co-management means your maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) specialist and your OB care for you as a team. Your OB stays your primary doctor and manages your delivery, while our specialists add high-risk expertise: consultation, specialized ultrasounds, and a tailored management plan. Conditions we most often co-manage include chronic high blood pressure, diabetes, and pregnancies at age 35 and older.

Diabetes care in pregnancy centers on monitoring your baby’s growth and well-being while you keep your blood sugar in a healthy range. Patients with gestational diabetes are typically seen every four weeks for growth ultrasounds, with weekly biophysical ultrasounds added near the end of pregnancy. If medication is needed, visits become more frequent. Care is coordinated as a team with your OB and any other specialists involved.

Genetic counseling helps you understand your chances of passing on or encountering certain genetic conditions, and which testing options make sense for you. Common reasons to consider it include advanced maternal age, being a carrier for a genetic condition, a family history that includes a child with a genetic condition, or a positive screening result or ultrasound finding during your current pregnancy. At Pembroke Perinatal Center, counseling is provided directly by our physicians.

Nuchal translucency (NT) screening is a first-trimester ultrasound that measures the small fluid-filled space at the back of your baby’s neck. That measurement helps assess the chance of certain chromosomal conditions and other findings, particularly involving the heart. It’s performed between 11 and 13 weeks, and at our office it’s paired with an early detailed look at your baby’s anatomy. It’s a screening, which means it estimates chances rather than giving a diagnosis.

Our center provides the full range of obstetric ultrasounds: first-trimester dating and viability scans, early fetal assessment with nuchal translucency, detailed anatomy scans, biophysical profiles, third-trimester growth scans, and fetal echocardiograms. Transvaginal, second-opinion, and 3D/4D scans are performed when indicated. Every scan is performed by a trained, registered sonographer and read by a maternal-fetal medicine specialist.

Preconception counseling is a visit before pregnancy to review your health, identify any risk factors, and build a plan for the healthiest possible pregnancy. It benefits anyone planning to conceive, and it’s especially valuable for those with a medical condition, prior pregnancy complications, recurrent pregnancy loss, genetic concerns, or medications that could affect pregnancy. It’s typically covered by insurance, though coverage depends on your plan.

Prenatal diagnosis brings together the tests and monitoring used to understand your baby’s health more fully. At our practice this includes amniocentesis as a diagnostic test, along with obstetric ultrasounds, fetal echocardiograms, non-stress tests, blood draws, and blood pressure checks. Many patients referred to us are low risk, while others come to us after a screening or ultrasound result elsewhere that needs a closer look.

A non-stress test (NST) is a simple, comfortable test that monitors your baby’s heart rate and movement to offer reassurance about well-being. It’s used when a pregnancy benefits from closer monitoring, such as with high blood pressure, diabetes, or other reasons your specialist will explain. Nothing about it is invasive, and there’s no risk to you or your baby.