The purpose of this Committee Opinion is to offer guidance about indications for and timing and frequency of antenatal fetal surveillance in the outpatient setting. Antenatal fetal surveillance is performed to reduce the risk of stillbirth. However, because the pathway that results in increased... Continue Reading
Publications & Guidelines
Access joint publications and statements from SMFM
Since 2004, the Publications Committee has been charged with developing and publishing various publications, including the SMFM Consult Series and the SMFM Clinical Guidelines series published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. The Publications Committee collaborates with other Societies and Colleges to develop joint publications and statements, as appropriate. The Committee plans topics, selects authors, and reviews each completed paper before it is submitted for an internal SMFM review process and then for publication. All Committee members have filed conflict of interest statements with SMFM. Any conflicts have been resolved through a process approved by the Executive Board. To facilitate transparency in SMFM's guideline development process, a brief overview of the key stages in development is provided here. Feedback for SMFM Publications is welcome at pubs@smfm.org
The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Publications Committee first adopted the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system in 2013. This document provides an update on the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Publications Committee process for creating... Continue Reading
Amniotic fluid embolism is a rare syndrome characterized by sudden cardiorespiratory collapse during labor or soon after delivery. Because of its rarity, many obstetrical providers have no experience in managing amniotic fluid embolism and may therefore benefit from a cognitive aid such as a... Continue Reading
Women should be provided with evidence-based information when considering options for contraception and pregnancy management. When counseling about health conditions and available treatments, healthcare practitioners should employ strategies that encourage the incorporation of informed patient... Continue Reading
The rates of maternal morbidity and mortality in the United States demand a comprehensive approach to assessing pregnancy-related risks. Numerous medical and nonmedical factors contribute to maternal morbidity and mortality. Reducing the number of women who experience pregnancy morbidity requires... Continue Reading
Because up to 12% of obstetric patients meet criteria for the diagnosis of thrombocytopenia in pregnancy, it is not infrequent that the anesthesiologist must decide whether to proceed with a neuraxial procedure in an affected patient. Given the potential morbidity associated with general... Continue Reading
Fetal growth restriction, also known as intrauterine growth restriction, is a common complication of pregnancy that has been associated with a variety of adverse perinatal outcomes. There is a lack of consensus regarding terminology, etiology, and diagnostic criteria for fetal growth restriction,... Continue Reading
Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy is a hepatic disorder characterized by pruritus and an elevation in serum bile acid levels. Although intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy poses little risk for women, this condition carries a significant risk for the fetus, including complications such as... Continue Reading
Placenta accreta spectrum includes the full range of abnormal placental attachment to the uterus or other structures, encompassing placenta accreta, placenta increta, placenta percreta, morbidly adherent placenta, and invasive placentation. The incidence of placenta accreta spectrum has increased... Continue Reading
Intracranial anomalies are among the most common congenital birth defects. They range from severe and lethal malformations, which are often amenable to prenatal diagnosis during the first to early second trimesters of pregnancy, to more subtle anomalies that may only be detected during the second... Continue Reading
A vital mission of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine is to provide independent, objective, scientifically based information and recommendations for providers, patients, and payors of high-risk pregnancy care. To ensure that these recommendations are free from bias, special interest, or the... Continue Reading
The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) publishes clinical practice guidelines in two types of documents: SMFM Clinical Guidelines, which address topics of particular interest to maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) subspecialists, and the SMFM Consult Series, which consist of more focused... Continue Reading