Frequently Asked Questions
We specialize in caring for women whose pregnancies are considered to be at high risk due to medical, surgical, and obstetrical risk factors.
Our award-winning Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialists, also known as perinatologists, have provided care in the North Central New Jersey area for almost 20 years. While many of our patients come from Morris, Essex, Union, Hudson, Monmouth, Middlesex, and Sussex counties, we’ve provided care for women throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York.
Our team consists of extensively trained and board certified physicians, nurses, ultrasonographers and genetic counselors, carefully assembled to provide our patients with the best care possible.
NJPA offers a range of services and procedures to provide the optimal result for a mother and her unborn baby.
A pre-conceptional consultation prior to your pregnancy allows you to meet with our perinatologist to review your medical and pregnancy history. A carefully tailored and individualized care plan can be made to optimize your chances of a successful pregnancy outcome.
For women who are already pregnant, typical procedures include first and second trimester genetic risk assessment, high resolution fetal ultrasound (including 3D/4D), MaterniT21™ PLUS Down syndrome test, chorionic villous sampling, amniocentesis, fetal echocardiography, fetal growth monitoring, Doppler blood flow studies, fetal biophysical evaluations (non-stress test, amniotic fluid volume assessments and biophysical profiles), and select fetal therapy.
For some patients, your obstetrician will fax a request for consultation along with all of your pregnancy records to our office. Our office will then contact you to schedule an appointment. For other patients, your doctor will instruct you to call our office to make an appointment. Our staff will be happy to help if that is the case. Of course, having the reason for the visit and your insurance information on hand when you call will expedite the process of scheduling your appointment.
We are consultants to your primary obstetrician. Since they usually send you to us, they will specify how we can best assist and help them manage your pregnancy. Should you be requesting a pre-conceptional consultation, it may be possible for us to see you as a self-referral, but we will still need all applicable past medical records PRIOR to your visit.
Your insurance plan will specify the level of coverage for your maternal-fetal care. NJPA’s billing staff can assist you and your insurance company.
We accept most health plans. You may be required to make a co-pay at each visit. Please check with your individual insurance policy for details.
We work with you and your physician to ensure that all members of the team caring for the expectant mother and her fetus are involved in the decision making. Careful and timely communication is an integral part of your care at NJPA.
Absolutely! Your OB/GYN remains an important member of your caregiver team. We keep him or her closely informed throughout every step of your evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up. Your obstetrician remains your delivering doctor.
We do not permit videotaping of exams but will be happy to give you photos, whenever possible.
Our ultrasound machines are 3D and 4D capable. We often employ this technology to help refine and diagnose certain structural aspects of the fetus.
We know that many patients will want pictures of their baby’s face or other areas as mementos and we will do our best to get those for you as time and individual situations permit.
While we understand the desire of patients to include their small children in the evaluation of their siblings, it is important to remember that this is a medical examination. Your medical team needs to be able to concentrate on you and your unborn child. Unfortunately, young children frequently become bored during a prolonged examination. Furthermore children may unwittingly bring infections such as chickenpox, flu, or parvovirus into a waiting room of expectant mothers.
We will make every effort to bring your children into the room AFTER the exam is finished as time and individual situations permit. If a child is brought with you to the office, we ask that a spouse/partner or other caregiver remain with the child in the waiting area until called.
Your delivery will be performed by your obstetrician at the hospital of your choice.
Please contact your primary doctor for all routine prenatal questions. If you experience a problem related to your high-risk condition, please contact our perinatal nurse at (973) 322 – 5287.
If you believe that we could help care for your pregnancy or you want to make sure that NJPA is your Maternal-Fetal Medicine team, make sure your doctor knows. Your primary doctor will refer you to our practice for an initial consultation.