Development

Maternal-Fetal Medicine was first recognized as a subspecialty of obstetrics and gynecology in 1974, but the scientific advances leading to the emergence of this new medical field were made in the 1950s and 60s. The advent of medical ultrasound gave obstetricians a window through which to observe the behavior and development of the fetus. Amniocentesis, coupled with cytogenetics and later, molecular biology, made possible the diagnosis of many fetal conditions, even early in pregnancy. Fetal monitoring allowed evaluation for fetal well-being in late pregnancy and during labor, allowing physicians to intervene on behalf of the fetus. Techniques for safely entering the uterus with needles and various instruments allowed other forms of diagnosis and, in some instances, treatment of the fetus.

By the early 1970s there was no denying that the fetus had become a patient in his or her own right. At the same time it was becoming increasingly clear that the appropriate management of many maternal medical and surgical conditions could improve the health of the fetus. All of these advances led to a growing group of obstetrician/gynecologists who were limiting their work to the needs of mothers and fetuses in complicated pregnancies. In 1974 certification in the subspecialty of Maternal-Fetal Medicine was granted by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology.