The Theoretical Course
The participants will receive a list of recommended study material in advance of the course.
Fetal development
Embryology, including normal and abnormal development, and sonoembryology of major systems. Teratogenicity, including mechanisms and agents.
Genetics
Modes of inheritance, syndromology, molecular genetics and gene therapy, cytogenetics (conventional and molecular), pre-implantation diagnosis, genetic counselling.
Fetal malformations
Ultrasound features, prenatal and postnatal management, and prognosis for abnormalities of the brain and spinal cord, face, heart and great arteries, lungs, diaphragm, gastrointestinal and urogenital tracts, abdominal wall and skeletal system. Chromosomal defects, including epidemiology, implications and sonographic and biochemical screening.
Diagnostic testing
The indications, risks and techniques of amniocentesis, chorion villus sampling and cordocentesis. Isolation and testing of fetal cells from the maternal circulation.
Fetal therapy
Animal models, medical treatment (transplacental and fetal), intrauterine surgery (open, laparoscopic and ultrasound-guided). Pathophysiology, assessment and management of red cell isoimmunization and alloimmune thrombocytopenia.
Maternal and fetal physiology
Maternal physiological adaptation to pregnancy, including cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, endocrinological, hematological and nutritional changes. Placental physiology in normal and pathological pregnancy, including developmental anatomy and structure, metabolic and endocrine function, and transfer. Amniotic fluid, including origin, composition and regulation. Fetal physiology in normal and pathological pregnancy, including fetal biochemistry, hematology, endocrinology and immunology, regulation of acid–base balance, fetal behavior and biophysical profile.
Perinatal pathology
Perinatal death and placental pathological examination.
Neonatology
Basic assessment and resuscitation, intensive care, ventilation and nutrition, growth retardation, macrosomia, infection, brain hemorrhage, periventricular leukomalacia, enterocolitis, survival and handicap, prediction of handicap.
Preterm delivery
Uterine activity (to include anatomy, physiology, molecular biology), pathophysiology, implications, screening, prevention, diagnosis, assessment and management.
Impaired placentation
Intrauterine growth retardation, pre-eclampsia and fetal loss. Pathophysiology, implications, screening, prevention, diagnosis, assessment and management.
Medical disorders
Diabetes mellitus, autoimmune disease including systemic lupus erythematosus and antiphospholipid antibodies, cardiovascular, pulmonary, renal, hepatic, hematological, neoplastic disorders. Pathophysiology, implications, screening, prevention, diagnosis, assessment and management.
Infections
Toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus, rubella, human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis, varicella, Coxsackie, Parvovirus B19, Listeria. Pathophysiology, implications, screening, prevention, diagnosis, assessment and management.
Multiple pregnancy
Epidemiology, pathophysiology, chorionicity, discordancy for defects, growth or death, twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, prenatal diagnosis, assessment and monitoring, multifetal pregnancy reduction.
Implications for the individual and society
Ethics, law, psychology, sociology, politics, economics.
Research methodology
Medical statistics and epidemiology. Undertaking a literature search and summarizing the findings, planning a research project, writing an application for a grant-giving body and research ethics committee, computerization, statistical analysis and interpretation of data and writing an audit report, scientific papers and a thesis. Teaching at postgraduate level.
Organization and administration of fetal medicine service
Structured training, clinical protocols, consent forms, research versus
audit in clinical practice, patient notes, counselling, computerization.