Dr. Robyn Horsager, medical director for obstetrics and maternal-fetal medicine

Saving Twin Babies

Read about one of Dr. Robyn Horsager's toughest cases in
D Magazine.

The maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) physicians in the UT Southwestern Medical Center's High-Risk Pregnancy and Genetics program are recognized nationally for their care and management of women with complicated pregnancies. These specialists work with Comprehensive Obstetrics and Gynecology physicians as well as community obstetricians to provide a full spectrum of diagnostic and treatment options to women and their physicians.

Evaluation
We offer the latest diagnostic techniques to evaluate a women's risk factors, including:

• preconceptional counseling and genetic testing to identify inherited risks,
• high-resolution, 3- and 4-dimensional ultrasound to visualize the baby’s development,
• prenatal diagnostic procedures such as amniocentesis and chorionic villous sampling (CVS).

In most cases, women with a high-risk pregnancy return to their obstetrician after evaluation and development of a plan for care. However, in some circumstances, patients are transferred to the care of UT Southwestern MFM physicians for the delivery of their infants. If a baby is diagnosed with a medical condition requiring treatment, we will coordinate with specialists in pediatrics at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas or Children’s Medical Center at Legacy.

Treatment
In some cases, treatment of fetal complications using techniques such as fetal blood sampling, intrauterine transfusions, and fetal shunt placement can be performed before birth. In other situations, the baby is transferred to the care of pediatric specialists after delivery. In either case, we recognize that care after birth is as important as care before birth.

UT Southwestern University Hospital - St. Paul has a level III Neonatal Intensive Care Nursery staffed by pediatric neonatologists and neonatal nurse practitioners. In addition, a level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit located nearby at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas is available to care for infants who require surgery soon after birth.

Locations
We provide ambulatory consultative services at the following locations:

• Professional Office Building 2 on the UT Southwestern Medical Center campus
• Our satellite office at Children's Medical Center at Legacy in Plano

In-patient services are provided at:

• UT Southwestern University Hospital - St. Paul
• Parkland Memorial Hospital, our affiliated partner institution

Our physicians also have privileges at several area hospitals in northern Dallas and Collin counties where we are available to assist obstetricians in caring for women with pregnancy complications. Referrals are open to women throughout Texas and the southwestern United States.