About 10 percent of all pregnancies in the U.S. are "high-risk." Physicians consider pregnancies high-risk when the fetus' or mother's health is threatened.

Women with certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, other diseases, and women who develop complications during pregnancy such as early labor or multiple pregnancy. They also specialize in caring for pregnant women over age 40.

Perinatologist (Maternal-Fetal Specialist) Richard Porreco, MD, Medical Director at Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children at Presbyterian/St. Luke's Center for Maternal-Fetal Care, has delivered more than 10,000 babies.

Dr. Porreco and his colleagues deliver or consult on most of the high-risk births at Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children at Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center in Denver, Colorado.

With a reputation for specializing in high-risk pregnancies, we attract patients from across Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota and Wyoming. Our Center for Maternal-Fetal Care started in 1979 and continues to provide the region's leading care for high-risk pregnancies and high-risk babies.

"Our advantage is the continuity of care in managing all types of pregnancies and virtually any condition or health issue, for a mother, her fetus, and newborn," explains Dr. Porreco.

We offer expecting mothers and their babies the highest level of multidisciplanary care including:

• Maternal-Fetal Specialists
  
• 24/7 Neonatologists who run the the Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
  
• Pediatric Surgeons
  
• Pediatric Cardiologists
  
• Pediatric Gastroenterologists
  
• Pediatric Neurologists & Neurosurgeons
  
• Pediatric Pulmonologists
  
• Over 40 other Pediatric Specialists and support services

The team's experienced perinatologists (maternal-fetal) offer many valuable services for high-risk mothers, including:

• Targeted ultrasound evaluation, including Doppler velocity studies, fetal echocardiography and 4-D imaging
• Reproductive genetic counseling
• Comprehensive fetal evaluations, including special procedures that may be recommended or necessary, such as early genetic amniocentesis, chorionic villus sampling/placental biopsy, intrauterine fetal transfusion, fetal blood sampling, and percutaneous fetal therapy
• Fetal Surgery and Fetal Procedures
• Phone and fax consultations for referring physicians and hospitals

Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children at Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center is the only hospital for mothers and children in the region staffed 24 hours a day in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with board-certified neonatologists specializing in acute delivery room resuscitation, respiratory care, high-frequency ventilation and surgery.

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it