Fetal Medicine Unit
Saint Mary's Hospital
Fetal Medicine Unit at Saint Mary's Hospital
Saint Mary’s Fetal Medicine Unit provides specialist care when a mother or unborn baby requires additional assessment or management. The unit is based at Saint Mary’s Oxford Road Campus and Saint Mary’s Hospital at Wythenshawe, with clinics made up of highly experienced fetal medicine consultants and specialist midwives.
The unit serves a maternity population of 50,000 within the North West Region and receives over 1,500 referrals per year. It is one of 12 fetal medicine centres across England that is supported by Specialist Service Commissioning.
The service works closely with neonatologists, geneticists, paediatric surgeons, fetal cardiologists, neurosurgeons and other specialists who provide counselling and postnatal care for babies with abnormalities. Many of these specialties are co-located in Manchester, including Saint Mary’s Hospital and Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital on Oxford Road Campus.
The unit offers high-risk screening, scanning, prenatal diagnosis and treatments. It provides an ideal learning environment for international doctors seeking exposure to tertiary fetal medicine, antenatal screening, fetal anomaly pathways, multidisciplinary counselling, prenatal procedures and the interface between obstetrics, neonatology, clinical genetics and paediatric specialist services.
Fellowships and observerships at Manchester Specialist Health Academy provide international clinicians with structured opportunities to experience high quality healthcare training within a leading NHS environment. Both pathways offer consultant oversight, a clear induction, and access to modern clinical settings that support a strong understanding of advanced patient care. Participants are welcomed into a professional community that encourages learning, collaboration, and engagement with the culture of Manchester.
While fellows take part in more in depth clinical development, gaining exposure to subspecialties, procedures and research, observers focus on shadowing and understanding multidisciplinary practice within NHS services. Both groups benefit from involvement in clinics, team discussions, and wider learning activities such as simulation sessions, CPD opportunities, and quality improvement insight.
Academic contributions and awards
The Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre at Saint Mary’s has an extensive portfolio including pre-eclampsia, fetal growth restriction, diabetes, lupus and pre-term labour, working with The University of Manchester.
The Centre hosts specialist translational research clinics including Lupus in Pregnancy, Placenta, Rainbow, Pre-term labour, Velocity and Manchester Antenatal Vascular Service clinics.
Norman JE et al. “Awareness of fetal movements and care package to reduce fetal mortality (AFFIRM): a stepped wedge, cluster-randomised trial.” Lancet. 2018.
Haakons KL et al. “Factors predicting adverse perinatal outcomes in women presenting with decreased fetal movements.” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2026.
Rare and complex cases
Visitors may gain exposure, subject to placement type and governance, to complex fetal medicine and screening pathways, including:
- Assessment of pregnancies at increased risk of fetal abnormality.
- Diagnosis and counselling for fetal anomalies, chromosome abnormalities and single-gene genetic diseases.
- Haemolytic disease of the newborn, fetal growth restriction and complex multiple pregnancy pathways.
- Specialist clinics including Complex Multiple Pregnancy, Fetal Neurology, Fetal Cardiology and the Fetal, Neonatal and Surgical Clinic.
- Prenatal diagnostic procedures such as amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling, subject to supervision and governance.
- Intrauterine transfusion as a highly specialist procedure offered in a limited number of hospitals such as Saint Mary’s Hospital.
- Multidisciplinary preparation for babies requiring surgery or specialist care after birth
Why Manchester?
Manchester is a city of innovation and progress, renowned as the world’s first industrial city and still leading in science, healthcare, and technology. With excellent transport links and a vibrant, multicultural atmosphere, it offers an inclusive environment for learning and professional growth.
Beyond your placement, Manchester offers something for everyone - from watching the iconic Manchester derby to exploring world-class museums and galleries. With vibrant music, sport, and culture, the city truly has it all. Combining heritage and modernity, it creates a unique setting for personal enrichment and memorable experiences whilst you develop professionally.
Our signature programmes
Observership
Fetal Medicine Unit
Objectives
By the end of the placement, the visiting professional should be able to:
- Describe the function of a specialist fetal medicine unit and the types of pregnancies referred for specialist assessment, including fetal abnormalities, maternal medical conditions that increase fetal risk, complex multiple pregnancies and suspected fetal growth restriction.
- Observe how fetal medicine consultants and specialist midwives assess women at increased risk of fetal abnormality, confirm diagnoses, explain likely outcomes and provide information about choices and ongoing care.
- Understand how specialist midwives support women and families through complex fetal medicine pathways, including emotional support, counselling, continuity and coordination of care.
- Recognise the importance of multidisciplinary working in fetal medicine, particularly the involvement of neonatology, clinical genetics, paediatric surgery, fetal cardiology, neurosurgery and other specialist teams in counselling and postnatal care planning.
- Observe specialist fetal medicine clinic models, including complex multiple pregnancy, fetal neurology, fetal cardiology and fetal, neonatal and surgical pathways.
- Develop awareness of the purpose, indications and counselling considerations for procedures such as amniocentesis, chorionic villus sampling and intrauterine transfusion, while recognising that observers do not undertake procedural clinical activity.
- Understand how communication with referring clinicians and other specialties supports continuity, safety and coordinated care in a regional fetal medicine service.
- Reflect on observed approaches to patient-centred counselling, shared decision making and multidisciplinary care, and consider how these principles may inform fetal medicine practice or service development in the observer’s home setting.
Eligibility
- The visiting professional must have sufficient English language skills to engage meaningfully in the observership.
- Prior obstetric ultrasound, fetal medicine, maternal-fetal medicine or antenatal screening experience is desirable.
Fellowship
Fetal Medicine Unit
Objectives
- Develop advanced understanding of the assessment, diagnosis and ongoing management of pregnancies wherethere is increased risk of fetal abnormality, fetal anomaly, fetal growth restriction, haemolytic disease of the newborn, complex multiple pregnancy, chromosomal abnormality or single gene genetic disease.
- Strengthen understanding of multidisciplinary fetal medicine care through participation in clinics involving fetal medicine consultants, specialist midwives, neonatology, clinical genetics, paediatric surgery, fetal cardiology, neurosurgery, paediatric nephrology, paediatric urology, neonatal surgery and intensive care colleagues.
- Build familiarity with specialist clinic models used in fetal medicine, including complex multiple pregnancy, fetal neurology, fetal cardiology and the Fetal, Neonatal and Surgical Clinic for babies who may require surgery after birth or occasionally in utero.
- Understand indications, counselling principles, governance and risk considerations for invasive prenatal diagnostic and therapeutic procedures such as amniocentesis, chorionic villus sampling and intrauterine transfusion.
- Develop insight into the organisation of a regional fetal medicine service, including referral communication, coordination with referring clinicians and formal multidisciplinary care planning across co-located maternity, neonatal and paediatric specialties.
- Gain exposure to research-active maternal and fetal health services, including pregnancy-related research themes such as pre-eclampsia, fetal growth restriction, diabetes, lupus and pre-term labour, and the role of translational research clinics in improving outcomes.
- Reflect on how specialist fetal medicine services can be adapted or developed within the fellow’s own healthcare setting, particularly in relation to multidisciplinary counselling, referral pathways, governance and patient-centred decision making.
Eligibility
Postgraduate Qualification: Applicants must hold an overseas-recognised postgraduate medical qualification (MD, MS, Masters) in obstetrics and gynaecology, fetal medicine, maternal-fetal medicine or a closely related specialty.
Experience: Minimum of 3 years’ recent experience in obstetrics and gynaecology or related specialty within the last 5 years, including at least 12 months of continuous practice before applying.
Training Level: Equivalent to ST5 or above, or post-CCT clinicians seeking subspecialty exposure.
Language Proficiency: IELTS Academic with 7.0 in each band and overall 7.5, or OET Medicine with Grade B in all domains.
Registration: GMC registration is required for fellows. Sponsorship may be supported through approved routes where applicable.
Other: Must not have failed PLAB exams previously. Visa sponsorship only through approved routes; self-funded visas outside agreed schemes are excluded.
Fellows seeking scanning or procedural exposure may require a logbook, competency evidence and supervisor approval.
Access to counselling and diagnostic sessions will be subject to consent, confidentiality and local governance