Women’s Hospital – a member of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), recently hosted the Third Qatar National Obstetric Ultrasound Training Course to highlight the latest technologies and techniques in pregnancy-related ultrasound scans.

More than 300 healthcare professionals from HMC, Sidra Medical and Research Center, Primary Health Care Corporation, and other Qatar-based private healthcare organisations gathered at the event.

Course Chairperson and Senior Consultant, Feto-Maternal Medicine Unit (FMU) at Women’s Hospital, Dr Najat Khenyab, stated that ultrasounds (or sonogram) are integral to helping clinicians monitor foetal development during a woman’s pregnancy, childbirth, and the post-delivery recovery period.

By providing specialised workshops and training to obstetricians, radiologists, family physicians and sonographers across Qatar, we are enhancing the quality of ultrasound performance. This enables clinicians to provide early detection of foetal abnormalities through the effective use of ultrasound modalities, which could have life-changing effects on the baby’s development.’

The two-day course was organised by the FMU, a division of the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department at the Women’s Hospital and featured state-of-the-art lectures by local and international guests along with live demonstrations from distinguished experts in foetal medicine.

Course Co-chairperson and Coordinator, and Consultant in Maternal-Foetal Medicine, Dr Sawsan Al-Obaidly said that the number of early referrals to the FMU increase, thanks to the annual event.

If an early detection during an ultrasound is not picked up by a clinician, an unborn baby could be at risk of foetal abnormalities. This could have devastating effects on the pregnancy. This course mitigates the negative outcome, which is why the two-day course is so important.’

Last year, FMU at Women’s Hospital performed around 8,000 exams, where they managed pregnant women as early as 11 weeks, providing them with proper diagnosis as well as counsel parents regarding expected outcomes and the developmental status of their unborn child.

Approximately 30% of women in the country are prone to have a high-risk pregnancy, involving obstetric, medical, surgical, or genetic complications. The highly skilled specialists in the unit complement obstetrical care providers, and co-manage complex conditions before and during pregnancy. Using advanced imaging techniques, clinicians in the FMU are able to accurately diagnose babies with birth defects prenatally and then connect parents with a neonatologist and a paediatric subspecialist.

Visit hamad.qa for more information about the services available at the Hamad Medical Corporation.