Fetal Medicine
The Fetal Medicine Unit at Bharati Hospital exists for exactly these moments. Housed within the Super Specialty building, the unit brings together advanced imaging, genetic expertise, and the kind of honest, unhurried counselling that helps families understand what they’re dealing with and what their options are — from the earliest weeks of pregnancy right through to delivery planning.
SUPER
SPECIALITY
- Fetal Medicine
- Kidney Transplant
- Organ Donation
- Pain Clinic
- Breast Clinic
- Bariatric Surgery
- Cardiology
- Gastroenterology
- Neonatology
- Nephrology
- Sleep Medicine
- Neurology
- Neuro Surgery
- Oncology
- Paediatric Surgery
- Bone Marrow Transplant
- Plastic Surgery
- Reproductive Medicine and Surgery (IVF)
- Rheumatology
- Spine Surgery
- Diabetes Clinic
- Urology
- Hematology
- Vascular Surgery
- General Surgery
- CVTS (Cardiovascular And Thoracic Surgery Department )
- Vascular Surgery
Overview
At Bharati Hospital, the Fetal Medicine Unit is equipped with some of the most advanced ultrasound technology available — GE Voluson E8, E6, and Signature 18 machines — and supported by dedicated reporting software including Astraia, Sonocare, and Viewpoint. This combination allows for detailed, accurate assessments that go well beyond a standard pregnancy scan.
The unit handles the full range — from routine first trimester screening and anomaly scans in normal pregnancies, to complex diagnostic workups and invasive procedures in high-risk cases. Families dealing with a difficult finding are not left to piece together information from different departments. The team here coordinates everything, including referrals to neonatology and paediatric surgery when delivery planning needs to account for a known foetal condition.
Scope of Services
- Early pregnancy viability scans — confirming location, heartbeat, and dates in the first weeks
- NT/NB scan (11–14 weeks) — measuring nuchal translucency and nasal bone as part of first trimester Down syndrome screening
- First trimester combined screening — integrating scan findings with blood markers for a personalised risk assessment
- Anomaly scan / Level II scan — detailed structural survey of the baby, typically around 18–22 weeks
- Growth and well-being scans — monitoring foetal size, movement, and fluid levels in the second and third trimesters
- Doppler studies — assessing blood flow through the umbilical cord, uterine arteries, and foetal vessels
- Foetal echocardiography — detailed examination of the foetal heart, structure, and function
- 3D / 4D ultrasound — volumetric imaging for enhanced visualisation of foetal anatomy
- Aneuploidy risk assessment — evaluating the likelihood of chromosomal conditions such as Down syndrome, Edwards syndrome, and Patau syndrome
- Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) — highly sensitive cell-free DNA testing from a maternal blood sample
- Genetic counselling for families with a history of inherited disorders
- Family history assessment to identify pregnancies that may need additional surveillance
- Preconception counselling — supporting couples before pregnancy when there are known genetic risks
- Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS) — placental tissue sampling, typically performed at 11–14 weeks, for early chromosomal diagnosis
- Amniocentesis — amniotic fluid sampling, usually from 15 weeks onwards, for chromosomal and genetic analysis
- Cordocentesis / Foetal blood sampling — direct sampling from the umbilical cord for specific diagnostic situations
- Foetal reduction — in carefully selected cases of higher-order multiple pregnancies, to improve outcomes for the remaining foetuses
- Fetoscopy and other advanced procedures as clinically indicated
- Hypertension in pregnancy — including pre-eclampsia screening, monitoring, and management planning
- Diabetes in pregnancy — gestational and pre-existing diabetes requiring closer foetal surveillance
- Recurrent pregnancy loss — structured evaluation to identify contributing factors and guide future pregnancies
- Multiple pregnancies — twin and triplet pregnancies, including monochorionic cases that need specialised monitoring
- Foetal growth restriction — serial monitoring and Doppler assessment in babies who are not growing as expected
- Preterm birth risk assessment — cervical length screening and risk stratification for women with a history of early delivery
- Intrauterine procedures for foetuses who need intervention before birth
- Management of diagnosed foetal anomalies — working with families on what findings mean and what the pathway forward looks like
- Multidisciplinary foetal care planning — bringing together the relevant specialists before delivery in complex cases
- Coordination with neonatology and paediatric surgery for babies who will need care immediately after birth
- Pregnancy counselling — helping families understand findings, procedures, and what to expect at each stage
- Second opinion consultations for families who want another perspective before making a decision
- Psychological and emotional support — particularly for families receiving a difficult diagnosis
- Antenatal education and guidance throughout pregnancy
Infrastructure & Facilities
Ultrasound machines
- GE Voluson E8 — a high-end obstetric ultrasound system offering exceptional image resolution for detailed foetal anatomy assessment and advanced Doppler studies
- GE Voluson E6 — a versatile, high-performance system used across the range of prenatal scans
- GE Voluson Signature 18 — the latest generation in the Voluson range, combining premium imaging with AI-assisted tools for more accurate measurements and anomaly detection
Reporting & documentation software
- Astraia — a dedicated fetal medicine database system used internationally for structured first trimester screening, risk calculation, and audit
- Sonocare — ultrasound reporting and image management platform for consistent, detailed documentation
- Viewpoint — obstetric ultrasound reporting software supporting complete scan workflows and integration with hospital systems
Fetal Medicine Team
Dr. Mitali Parvatikar
Consultant, Fetal Medicine
Dr. Jagruti Damse
Consultant, Fetal Medicine
Dr. Nabina Choudhury
Consultant, Fetal Medicine
FAQs
Fetal medicine goes well beyond what a routine pregnancy scan covers. It involves detailed, specialist-level assessment of foetal anatomy, growth, and wellbeing — along with genetic risk evaluation, invasive diagnostic procedures when needed, and management of complex or high-risk pregnancies. A fetal medicine consultant is trained specifically for this level of assessment and interpretation.
Your obstetrician may refer you to fetal medicine if a routine scan raises a concern, if you have a high-risk pregnancy, or if your age or family history places you in a higher-risk category for chromosomal conditions. You can also request a second opinion consultation if you have concerns about a finding or want more detailed information than a general scan provides.
The NT (nuchal translucency) scan is performed between 11 and 14 weeks of pregnancy. It measures a fluid-filled space at the back of the baby’s neck — an increased measurement can indicate a higher risk of chromosomal conditions. Combined with a blood test, it forms part of the first trimester combined screening, which gives a personalised risk estimate for conditions like Down syndrome.
NIPT (Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing) analyses small fragments of the baby’s DNA circulating in the mother’s blood. It is a screening test — highly sensitive, but not diagnostic. Amniocentesis, on the other hand, is a diagnostic procedure that provides a definitive chromosomal result. If NIPT returns a high-risk result, an invasive procedure is usually recommended to confirm the finding before any decisions are made.
All invasive procedures carry a small risk, including a low risk of pregnancy loss — typically quoted at less than 1% for amniocentesis and CVS when performed by an experienced fetal medicine specialist. The decision to proceed is always made jointly with the family after a thorough discussion of the benefits, risks, and alternatives.
A finding on the anomaly scan is the beginning of a process, not the end of one. The team will explain what has been seen, what further investigations may be needed, and what the finding means for the baby’s development and delivery. Where appropriate, other specialists — paediatric surgeons, cardiologists, neonatologists — are brought in to contribute to the planning. Families are supported through every step of this process, including the emotional aspects of receiving unexpected news.
Yes. Recurrent pregnancy loss — defined as two or more consecutive pregnancy losses — is something the unit takes seriously. A structured evaluation is carried out to look for potential contributing factors, including chromosomal, anatomical, hormonal, and immunological causes. The aim is to give couples as much information as possible before the next pregnancy, and to put a closer monitoring plan in place.
Absolutely. Second opinion consultations are offered for families who want a specialist review of a finding from another centre, or who simply want more information before making a decision. Previous scan images and reports are reviewed, and the team will give an independent, honest assessment.
