The specialist team within the clinic provides pre-conception advice, routine antenatal care such as blood pressure and urine checks, routine antenatal advice, detailed ultrasound observations of the baby and placenta, monitoring of medication, monitoring of blood tests, monitoring and management of symptoms related to the specific disorder such as ‘flare ups’. Surveillance of maternal and fetal health is tailored to individual requirements and a care plan is made for the antenatal period in addition to delivery.
Embedded in the clinical service is an active research programme within the Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre. This study aims to collect information about pregnancies in women with Lupus-like disorders and other connective tissue diseases in order to help us understand pregnancy in women with these disorders better. We hope that by collecting information like this, we can better look after women and improve outcomes of pregnancy in the future. All women attending the LIPs clinic are invited to take part in the research study and will be sent the information with the appointment letter. Women should be reassured that their decision to help or not with the research project does not influence their clinical care.
We see women with:
- Systematic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).
- Incomplete Lupus Syndrome.
- Anti-phospholipid Syndrome (APS).
- Other connective tissue diseases, including scleroderma, dermatomyositis and others.
We offer:
- Pre-conception consultation.
- Antenatal care.
- Management of Lupus in pregnancy including additional pregnancy scans.
- Opportunity to be involved in research.
Clinics
Clinics are held on the 5th Floor, Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, Saint Mary’s Hospital, every Tuesday afternoon.
How do I access the service?
Patients can be referred to the service via:
- Their GP.
- Community midwife.
- Obstetrician.
- Reproductive Health Service.
- Rheumatology.