Department of Obstetrics - Asklepios Hospital Barmbek Hamburg

About the Department of Obstetrics at Asklepios Hospital Barmbek Hamburg

The Department of Obstetrics at the Asklepios Hospital Barmbek Hamburg offers the full range of medical services in the area of its specialization and is a Level I Perinatal Center. The department's team of obstetricians provides comprehensive management of pregnancy, childbirth, and postnatal care for mother and baby. The department houses a Section for Prenatal Diagnostics and Fetal Surgery. This section has state-of-the-art equipment, thanks to which doctors can detect the slightest deviations in the fetus at the stage of intrauterine development. If there is any threat to the pregnancy or any risk to the health of the fetus, the expectant mother can immediately receive the necessary treatment. For example, obstetricians perform transvaginal cervical cerclage to keep the cervix closed and lower the risk of premature births. The department's specialists regularly deal with multiple and high-risk pregnancies, so they have the necessary experience and competence to provide patients with effective medical care. Childbirth takes place in comfortable delivery rooms equipped in compliance with international standards. It is important for obstetricians to provide a woman with painless childbirth, so pain management is widely used here, including homeopathy, acupuncture, kinesiology taping, etc. The Head Physician of the department is Prof. Dr. med. Holger Maul.

The department offers a well-developed prenatal diagnostics area. The medical facility has state-of-the-art equipment, thanks to which doctors can perform comprehensive and accurate prenatal diagnostic examinations. The most popular diagnostic tests include ultrasound scanning in all trimesters, including 3D/4D ultrasound scans, fetal echocardiography, the KANET test, and fetal MRI. The department also performs invasive diagnostic examinations such as chorionic villus sampling, amniocentesis, and cordocentesis. Thus, during prenatal diagnostics, doctors can detect any problems related to the course of pregnancy and the health of the baby in the womb. It goes without saying that diagnosis is complemented by individual consultations, where future parents can find out the answers to all the questions they are interested in. The department enjoys the status of the Level I Perinatal Center for its excellent medical services.

The department pays special attention to the management of high-risk pregnancies. Pregnancy can be associated with risks for the health of the woman and the fetus if it occurs at the age of over 35 or under 18 years, in the presence of severe pathologies in the anamnesis of the future mother (for example, diabetes mellitus, thrombophilia, bronchial asthma, epilepsy, cardiopathology, arterial hypertension, etc.), in the presence of complications during the previous pregnancy, the development of preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome, and other pathological conditions. Gynecologists are involved in counseling women with high-risk pregnancies. A personalized treatment regimen is developed for each patient, and regular check-ups are carried out to ensure a normal pregnancy without compromising the health of the future mother and child.

The department's delivery rooms are very comfortable and cozy. Both conventional and modern types of childbirth, from water births and natural births to C-sections, take place here. Homeopathy, acupuncture, local anesthesia, and epidural anesthesia may be used for pain management during childbirth. Partners are allowed to be present during childbirth, if desired. An important attention is paid to bonding for the formation of a close connection between a mother and a child immediately after birth. The highly qualified team of obstetricians with vast experience ensures a successful and safe childbirth.

It should be noted that the department has unique experience in managing multiple pregnancies. Such pregnancies are classified as high-risk pregnancies and therefore require more careful medical supervision. The medical team monitors the course of such pregnancies very carefully in order to detect possible abnormalities in time, which can be diagnosed and treated even in the womb. 

The department collaborates closely with neonatal intensive care specialists to provide optimal care for premature newborns, significantly reducing the likelihood of developmental delays and other disorders in the future.

The department's range of services is complemented by comprehensive care for the mother and her baby after birth. Doctors constantly monitor the condition of the mother and her child, as well as provide comprehensive counseling on further care of the child.

The department's range of medical services includes:

• Diagnostic options
  • Non-invasive diagnostics
    • Ultrasound examinations
      • 1st trimester ultrasound screening, including 1st trimester screening with preeclampsia risk calculation.
      •  2nd trimester ultrasound screening 
      • 3rd trimester ultrasound screening
      • Fetal echocardiography
      • Doppler ultrasound of maternal and fetal vessels
      • 3D/4D ultrasound examinations
      • KANET test
    • Fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
    • NIPT test for the most common fetal chromosomal abnormalities
    • Pregnant woman's blood count for fetal Rh factor
  • Invasive diagnostics
    • Chorionic villus sampling
    • Amniocentesis
    • Cordocentesis
• Therapeutic options
  • Fetal surgery
    • Intrauterine hemotransfusion for fetal anemia
    • Thoracoamniotic shunting for hydrothorax
    • Amniotic drainage of excessive amniotic waters
    • Antiarrhythmic therapy for heart rhythm disturbances
  • Therapeutic procedures for preterm birth risks
    • Continuous amnioinfusion through an intra-amniotic catheter in cases of amniotic leakage
    • Placement of Arabin pessaries
    • Transvaginal cervical cerclage using the McDonald and Shirodkar techniques
    • Transabdominal cerclage (open and laparoscopic techniques)
    • Amnioscopy using the Saling technique
  • Childbirth: natural childbirth, including water birth, and C-section
  • Postnatal care for mother and baby
  • Intensive care for premature babies and newborns with congenital pathologies
• Other medical services