Maternal-fetal medicine--how can we practically connect the "M" to the "F"?

Abstract

Maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) is a multidisciplinary subspecialty dedicated to optimization of pregnancy and perinatal outcomes. MFM utilizes novel technologies for diagnostics and treatments in order to optimize obstetrical care and pregnancy outcome. Although defined as maternal and fetal medicine, originally aiming to equally address fetal and/or maternal issues, in reality the main focus of MFM has been shifted from improving maternal outcome and preventing maternal short- and long-term complications to improving fetal and neonatal outcome. In this article, we address the lack of communication between the two subspecialties and propose a resolution that will bridge the discrepancies by proposing to connect the leading hypotheses in MFM and in fetal medicine to those in maternal medicine.

Keywords: diabetes in pregnancy; fetal origins of adult disease hypothesis; maternal fetal medicine; noncommunicable disease (NCD); programming and imprinting in utero; the inverted pyramid of pregnancy care.