We are one of two Maternal Medicine Centres (MMCs) of excellence in the East of England for pregnant women with pre-existing medical disorders or pregnancy-related medical conditions, treating women referred from across the East of England.
About
Our specialist maternal medicine team including doctors, physicians, nurses, midwives and other specialists are trained in providing the highest standards of care pre, during and post pregnancy, resulting in the best outcomes for both mother and baby.
As a Maternal Medicine Hub, the team here in Cambridge will support the East of England Maternal Medicine Network in ensuring women and their babies are cared for in the most appropriate environment, as close to home as possible. We endeavour to provide equitable care for every woman who requires access to our services.
Focus on improvement in Maternity care
Recent reports highlight that many incidents resulting in maternal or fetal death were as a result of pre-existing medical conditions and could have been avoided with the correct level of care and intervention including better education in the pregnancy planning stage so that conditions during pregnancy can be managed appropriately.
NHS England has an aim to reduce maternal deaths by 50% by 2025. To support this, they have granted extra funding to establish a national Maternal Medicine Network with regional hubs, so our long-established maternal medicine service will be able to treat more women within the East of England and raise the profile of the service so that every woman who needs specialist care will be able to access this. The East of England’s other hub is located at Norfolk and Norwich NHS Foundation Trust.
Who is the service for?
Pregnant women from across the East of England with significant pre-existing medical conditions or pregnancy-related medical conditions. This includes neurological, heart, endocrine / glandular, joint and connective tissue, bowel, kidney / renal, lung / respiratory, liver and metabolic disorders, haematological / blood disorders including sickle cell disease, thrombosis and coagulation problems, high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer.
Ongoing antenatal care
Once you have been referred to the maternal medicine team, your pregnancy care will be managed between doctors and midwives. We work in collaboration with your local team and consultants from a wide range of specialities (neurologists, gastroenterologists, oncologists, rheumatologists, anaesthetists, obstetric physicians, obstetricians), conducting regular multidisciplinary meetings to discuss the safest management for women and their babies.
Reviews and appointments will be tailored according to your condition and your individualised needs. We are aiming to offer continuity of care throughout pregnancy, as we know this is crucial for women with complex medical needs.
Referrals
At your first appointment, your midwife will collect detailed information about your medical history and will contact the maternal medicine team for further input if necessary. The team will contact you directly and will plan all the required follow-up appointments for the rest of your pregnancy.
Your GP can also refer you by downloading the following form and emailing it to maternal medicine.
When completing a referral to Maternal Medicine please state the priority status in the subject heading (urgent or routine), we reserve the right to alter the priority status following review.
Please ensure all medical history is included in your referral.