Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Group photo of the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine

The Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at the University of Wisconsin–Madison is a dynamic and growing academic division balancing excellence in teaching, clinical care, and research in the setting of a world-class university. The clinical obstetrical facilities for the University of Wisconsin Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology are housed at Meriter Hospital, which is the primary site for UW high-risk obstetrics. The Center for Perinatal Care has been a joint program of the UW and Meriter Hospital for almost three decades, and provides services to a large number of patients from Wisconsin and northern Illinois.

Maternal-Fetal Medicine physicians train the next generation of physicians through UW Ob-Gyn’s ABOG-approved ob-gyn residency and Maternal-Fetal Medicine fellowship. Currently, the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) has seven faculty members and three fellows, and plans to continue to grow.

Our Clinical Program

Our clinical program offers the wide range of MFM services, including comprehensive management of high-risk pregnancies and a full complement of prenatal diagnostic services.

Center for Perinatal Care

The Center for Perinatal Care is a tertiary center for maternal and neonatal transports and provides intensive perinatal care for a full spectrum of medical conditions. The Diabetes in Pregnancy Program provides diabetes care and education from preconception to post-delivery. The Meriter Diabetes Self-Management Education Program has been recognized by the American Diabetes Association for Quality Self-Management Education. A multidisciplinary-team approach is used for complex conditions affecting the mother and fetus. The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Meriter Hospital is the University's exclusive tertiary-care unit for sick newborns. A full-complement of UW pediatric subspecialists, including pediatric surgeons, offers the comprehensive spectrum of care for these infants.

Our Prenatal Diagnosis

Our Prenatal Diagnosis unit is a state-of-the-art unit accredited by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM). In addition to the MFM subspecialists and fellows, the unit is staffed with 22 sonographers and four genetic counselors. We have three 3D/4D-capable diagnostic rooms. We can offer invasive diagnostic procedures including chorionic villus sampling, fetal blood sampling, and transfusion. We also provide first trimester screening, advanced targeted sonography, personalized preconception genetic risk assessments, genetic sonograms, genetic counseling, and teratogen information. Our specialists assess fetal well-being through fetal monitoring, fetal biophysical profiles, and Doppler assessment of maternal uterine, umbilical, and other fetal vessels. In collaboration with UW Pediatric Cardiology, fetal echocardiography services are also available.

Physicians in the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine collaborate with multiple medical specialties to care for fetal conditions during pregnancy at the UW Health Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment Center

Neal receives WPP Postdoctoral Grant Award

The Wisconsin Partnership Program recently announced 17 recipients of Postdoctoral Grant Program Awards. Two researchers in the UW Department of Ob-Gyn received awards, which provide career development grants to enhance and expand postdoctoral research, education and professional development at SMPH. Grants are up to $20,000 ... more

Hoppe receives grant to connect Meriter and UW SMPH maternal-child health data

Kara Hoppe, DO, PhD, professor in the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Vice Chair for Clinical Research, received a grant from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health Office of Social Health Sciences and Programs to support the project Data Link for Healthy Families! Hoppe will be the principal... more

Shapiro Summer Research students present Ob-Gyn-mentored projects at 2025 Research Forum

Students participating in the 2025 Shapiro Summer Research Program presented their work at the Annual Medical Student Research Forum on November 24, 2025. Students and their impressive presentations include: Alyssa Solberg, mentored by Kara Hoppe, DO, PhD: Trends in Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy Highlight Persistent Rac... more