With up to 8 percent of expecting mothers experiencing complications, Saint Francis Medical Center highly values its partnership with Cape Perinatology Services to provide comprehensive care to parents throughout the region.

With the only full-time perinatologist in the area, Cape Perinatology Services' highly trained physician and support staff work closely with expecting parents and their referring obstetricians and family practitioners to co-manage a variety of medical complications that can occur during pregnancy, including:

Chronic renal disease
Complicated preeclampsia and eclampsia
Congenital disorders
Diabetes
Endocrine diseases
Gastrointestinal diseases
Hematological diseases
Hypertension and cardiac disease
Incompetent cervix
Infectious diseases
Neurological diseases and seizure disorders
Preterm labor
Recurrent pregnancy losses
Significant second or third trimester bleeding

Cape Perinatology Services diagnoses and treats pregnancy-related complications through state-of-the-art technology, advanced procedures and personalized care, including:

Preconception genetic counseling for concerns with personal and family health histories
4-D ultrasound technology that shows 3-D images of the baby's movement
Genetic disorder assessment by evaluating the baby's heart and blood flow
Prenatal diagnosis as needed through amniocentesis or other testing
Careful monitoring and management of multiple gestation pregnancies
Management of chronic conditions affecting pregnancies, such as diabetes, kidney disease, high blood pressure, thyroid disorders and seizure

Dean G. Huffman, MD, is the physician on staff at Cape Perinatology Services. He is a board certified maternal-fetal medicine specialist.

Cape Perinatology Services is located in the Health and Wellness Center, 150 S. Mount Auburn Road, on the Saint Francis campus. A physician's referral is required to receive preconception, high-risk pregnancy and postconception care from Cape Perinatology Services.

For more information, call 573-331-5511.