- 7 Ch. des Grangettes, 1224 Chêne-Bougeries, Switzerland
- +41 (0)22 346 59 09
- Mon–Fri: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
A pregnancy is considered “high-risk” when a maternal, obstetric, or fetal factor increases the likelihood of complications for the mother, the baby, or both. The management of these pregnancies involves more than just closer monitoring: it requires specific expertise, multidisciplinary coordination, and the ability to make rapid clinical decisions. This is the core of maternal-fetal medicine, an obstetric subspecialty to which I devote the majority of my practice.
Feto-maternal medicine (or maternal-fetal medicine, according to Anglo-Saxon terminology) is a subspecialty of obstetrics dedicated to the management of high-risk pregnancies. It encompasses risk assessment, close monitoring, advanced prenatal diagnosis, management of maternal conditions that are pre-existing or develop during pregnancy, and planning for a safe delivery.
This practice requires specialized training, extensive clinical experience, and constant access to state-of-the-art facilities. My academic and hospital training at the CHUV, the HUG, and the National Maternity Hospital in Dublin—under the direct supervision of Dr. Michael Robson, the creator of the international standard classification in obstetrics—has enabled me to develop this expertise.
The following situations warrant medical care or a specialist consultation.
A detailed personal medical history, review of previous records, targeted laboratory tests, and specialized ultrasound. The goal is to establish an accurate diagnosis before making any decisions.
Individualized monitoring protocol based on current guidelines (ISUOG, FIGO, RCOG, SSGO). Use of specialized tests as indicated: umbilical and cerebral Doppler, cervical length, sFlt-1/PlGF ratio, fetal monitoring.
Regular communication with colleagues in the relevant specialties: neonatology, cardiology, endocrinology, internal medicine, and hematology. When external expertise is needed, I draw on my network at the CHUV, the HUG, and leading university teams.
High-risk pregnancies often require quick decisions: induction, cesarean section, or in-utero transfer. My role as a laborist—a physician present in the delivery room—allows for a level of responsiveness that traditional private practice settings do not always permit.
Any patient currently under care elsewhere may request a second opinion regarding her pregnancy. This is a legitimate step, supported by international guidelines on quality of care, and is particularly relevant in the following situations: notification of an ultrasound abnormality, a debated indication for a cesarean section, a complex obstetric history, a course of assisted reproductive technology, or a request for an opinion on a proposed treatment plan.
A second opinion is not intended to replace your primary care physician. It is designed to confirm, refine, or supplement a diagnosis, while respecting the established therapeutic relationship. The report will be provided to you and forwarded to your physician at your request.
The Robson classification is an international methodology, recommended by the World Health Organization since 2015, for analyzing and comparing cesarean section practices across maternity wards. It categorizes all births into 10 mutually exclusive groups and helps identify the factors responsible for variations in cesarean section rates.
I had the opportunity to be trained directly in this methodology by Dr. Michael Robson, its creator, during my time at the National Maternity Hospital in Dublin (2017–2018). In 2017, I published an article in the Swiss Medical Journal describing the application of this classification at a Swiss university maternity hospital, and I use it as a framework for analyzing daily obstetric practice.
Pregnancies achieved through in vitro fertilization, egg donation, or other assisted reproductive technologies present specific clinical characteristics (increased risk of preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction, placental abnormalities, and multiple pregnancies) that warrant specialized care. The practice sees a large number of patients who underwent ART in Switzerland or abroad (Spain, Belgium, Greece, Cyprus), with dedicated administrative coordination.
For a maternal-fetal medicine consultation, a second opinion, or guidance following an abnormal screening result, please contact the office.
