Fetal Diagnosis Service Referral

The Fetal Diagnosis Service assists individuals and their families when an abnormality has been detected on a prenatal ultrasound exam.

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The Fetal Diagnosis Service team works together to provide:
  • Rapid and accurate diagnosis of fetal abnormalities 
  • Additional consultations and diagnostic procedures, as required 
  • Discussion of possible treatments, and risks and benefits of options 
  • Development of a care plan for the duration of the pregnancy, including possible fetal treatments and, when appropriate,  a care plan for the delivery  
  • Counselling and emotional support 
  • Referral for management of care when a woman requests termination of pregnancy 

​Referral overview

​Referrals must come from a physician, midwife or nurse practitioner.

Referral criteria

  • ​Adrenal anomaly 

  • Ambiguous genitalia 

  • Ascites  

  • Bladder exstrophy 

  • Bladder outlet obstruction 

  • Bowel dilatation, intestinal obstruction 

  • Brain anomalies: absent CSP, agenesis/dysgenesis of the corpus callosum, Chiari II malformation, dilated ventricles, holoprosencephaly, posterior fossa abnormality, etc. 

  • Cardiac malformation, dextrocardia, rhabdomyoma 

  • Cleft lip and/or palate  

  • Club foot 

  • Cystic hygroma (>17 weeks) (less than 17 weeks gestation should be referred to Medical Genetics) 

  • Diaphragmatic hernia  

  • Ectopic kidney 

  • Ectrodactyly 

  • Encephalocele 

  • Hydronephrosis (>10mm), hydroureter 

  • Hydrops (> 17wks) (less than 17 weeks should be referred to Medical Genetics) 

  • Limb reduction defects  

  • Meconium peritonitis 

  • Megacystis 

  • Micro/retrognathia 

  • Microcephaly (HC < 1st percentile) 

  • Multicystic or echogenic kidneys 

  • Multiple pterygia, fetal akinesia 

  • Myelomeningocele 

  • Oligohydramnios (detected prior to 26 weeks gestation) 

  • Omphalocele 

  • Pentalogy of Cantrell 

  • Pericardial effusion (> 3 mm) 

  • Pleural effusion 

  • Polydactyly 

  • Polyhydramnios, severe (AFI ≥ 350 mm) 

  • Renal agenesis 

  • Sacrococcygeal teratoma  

  • Scoliosis, kyphosis 

  • Skeletal dysplasia 

  • Spina bifida 

  • Subcutaneous edema 

  • Talipes equinovarus 

  • Ventriculomegaly (10 mm or greater​

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Referral steps 

1Complete the referral form

Attach all obstetric ultrasound reports, consult letters and genetic screening results from the current pregnancy. 

2Submit the referral

Fax the completed referral form and attachments to: 604-875-3484. 

3Post referral

We will contact patients directly with the dates and times of their appointments. In making the referral, the referring provider maintains responsibility to be available to the patient in the event additional in-person care is needed.

4Appointment with a provider

We will ask the patient to complete a questionnaire about the biological families’ histories. There will be a detailed ultrasound which may include a fetal echocardiogram if required. In the afternoon, the patient will meet with one or more members of the FDS team to review information and to discuss what this means for the pregnancy. There may be additional tests or consultations with other specialists, if required. This testing may be done on the same day or continue to the next day.

5Post appointment

After the appointment, the referring provider will receive the ultrasound report and consultation letter(s) summarizing the assessment.

Referral form

Contact us 

We hold clinics from Monday to Thursday, except statutory holidays. 

Patients may have three or more appointments on the day of their assessment and should expect to be at the hospital until the late afternoon. There is a chance that they may need additional appointments that could take place the following day. 

Maternity Ambulatory Program (desk #10)
Entrance 93
BC Women’s Hospital Main Entrance
4500 Oak Street
Vancouver, BC
V6H 3N1 

Phone: 604-875-2848 
Fax: 604-875-3484​