San Francisco, Calif. ― Sepsis — a severe infection in the body that can lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death — is among the top causes of maternal deaths worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). It is a life-threatening emergency that is largely... Continue Reading
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AUSTIN, TX – Yesterday, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and the Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee (MMMRC) jointly released a report containing the MMMRC’s findings and recommendations for addressing the state’s maternal health crisis.... Continue Reading
In the November 2021 issue of the American Journal of Perinatology, ICD-10 indications for Fetal Echocardiogram and Detailed First Trimester Obstetric Ultrasound were published. The abstract was authored by the SMFM Coding Committee and is based on indications published by AIUM and other national... Continue Reading
Flu season is here, and many parts of the country are already seeing unprecedented levels of influenza-like illness and confirmed influenza infection. That is why, collectively, the American Academy of Family Physicians; American College of Nurse-Midwives; American College of Obstetricians and... Continue Reading
Coding Tip: Ultrasound Storage of Images and Documentation Within Reports Complete documentation of work performed is a central tenet of optimal care and communication between medical teams. The ultrasound report serves as an instrument of communication between providers and acts as... Continue Reading
The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) Coding Committee: Vanita Jain, MD; Amie Hollard, MD; Steve Rad MD; Trish Malisch, CCS-P, CPC; Fadi Bsat, MD. Testing for chromosome abnormalities should be an informed patient choice, based on information from a medical provider accounting for the... Continue Reading
Brar B, Iriye B, and the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine Practice Management & Coding Committees The Problem Over the last four decades, twin pregnancies have increased from 18.9 per 1,000 births in 1980 to 32.6 per 1,000 births in 2018. (1) With this increase in incidence... Continue Reading
If a patient has a diagnosis of obesity (BMI ≥ 30) O99.21__ (obesity complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium) is an accepted indication for a detailed fetal anatomy survey (CPT 76811) according to published guidelines. To determine BMI in a pregnancy affected by obesity, we... Continue Reading
Utah law removes women from their proper role as decision makers Comprehensive reproductive health care includes abortion care. There is ample evidence that timely access to safe and legal abortion improves health outcomes, and barriers to access worsen outcomes. These harms have an especially... Continue Reading
Washington, D.C.—The following is a statement from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Medical Association, joined by the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine; American Academy of Family Physicians; American Academy of Nursing; American Academy of... Continue Reading
As organizations representing health care professionals specializing in the provision of maternal care, we join together to denounce the decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. This decision promises to severely limit many of our members' ability to provide high-quality,... Continue Reading
June 24, 2022, Washington, DC – The Society for Maternal-Fetal (SMFM) released the following statement in response to the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, a case in which the State of Mississippi asked the Supreme Court to uphold its 15- week... Continue Reading