If your pregnancy is considered high risk due to complications identified before or during your pregnancy, you will be glad to know that Emerson Hospital has a top-quality maternal-fetal medicine service.
Maternal-fetal medicine physicians are high-risk pregnancy experts. They specialize in caring for mothers-to-be and their unborn babies with a range of health issues that may cause preterm birth and complications.
Meet Our Physician
Tamara C Takoudes, has been practicing high risk obstetrics since her residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center 1997-2001 and then her fellowship at Brown University in Maternal Fetal Medicine 2001-2004. She started her career as faculty at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in 2004 and ran the Joslin Diabetes in Pregnancy Program for more than 10 years. She specializes in all high risk pregnancies including genetic testing, aneuploidy screening, preterm labor, multiple pregnancy, diabetes, hypertension and other high risk complex issues. She performs invasive fetal testing including amniocentesis and CVS (both Transvaginal and Transcervcial). Her goal in her care in the community is to provide the highest level of obstetric care, help avoid unnecessary trips to Boston and make recommendations when rarely needed for transfer to tertiary care. She provides all high risk care and consultation to the patients for Emerson Hospital.
The conditions maternal-fetal medicine specialists see
Our high-risk pregnancy specialists see mothers-to-be with a range of conditions, including:
- Chronic health problems such as diabetes, thyroid disorders, kidney disease, heart disease, high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia (toxemia), and infectious diseases
- Unexpected problems that develop during pregnancy, such as early labor, bleeding, gestational diabetes or high blood pressure
- Pregnancies with multiple babies (twins, triplets or more)
- Previous miscarriages
- Evidence of possible birth defects or fetal growth restriction
If they find birth defects or growth problems in an unborn child, our maternal-fetal medicine specialists can start treatment before birth, providing monitoring, blood transfusions and surgery to give babies the best-possible care until they are ready to be born.
The region’s only special care nursery
For added peace of mind, Emerson is home to the area’s only Level II
special care nursery (also called a neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU). Under the direction of a Massachusetts General Hospital neonatologist, the NICU provides care for infants who are born ahead of schedule or who require advanced medical care. A pediatric hospitalist also is on site and available 24 hours a day.
Prenatal testing and diagnosis
To help identify structural defects, genetic conditions and chromosomal disorders early in pregnancy, Emerson Hospital offers a certified genetic counselor who can guide obstetrical patients through prenatal genetic testing.
In addition, Emerson Hospital’s radiologists use advanced Level 2
ultrasound to screen for fetal abnormalities and pregnancy complications. Our new ultrasound suite is thoughtfully designed for convenience and privacy, including a separate check-in and waiting area.
Support services and groups
First Connections offers online and in-person ongoing support groups for parents-to-be. Visit our support groups page for more information.
