Maternal and fetal medicine deals with women patients who have complications of pregnancy. An obstetrician/ gynecologist treats women with high-risk or complicated pregnancies. A high-risk pregnancy, where the mother and fetus need special monitoring and medical care, may be a result of the mother’s diabetes, high blood pressure, or a seizure disorder. The fetus may have genetic disorders, or other problems that affect its development.

Sometimes if a woman is pregnant with twins or triplets or more, she may have additional health problems, or she may have a history of pregnancy complications. The obstetrician/gynecologist has special knowledge and skills to deal with these health problems and work with the mother toward the safe delivery of a healthy baby.

Doctor density varies by specialty and location. Illinois has 100 practicing maternal & fetal medicine doctors. Broken out by city, maternal & fetal medicine doctor density in Arlington Heights is 7, in Aurora is 5, in Barrington is 7, in Berwyn is 1, in Bloomington is 1, in Chicago is 63, in Downers Grove is 10, in Evanston is 10, in Evergreen Park is 3, in Forest Park is 1, in Geneva is 2, in Glenview is 6, in Gurnee is 7, in Hickory Hills is 1, in Highland Park is 7, in Hinsdale is 2, in Hoffman Estates is 3, in Lake Forest is 8, in Libertyville is 7, in Lisle is 1, in Lockport is 1, in Mahomet is 1, in Maywood is 6, in Naperville is 3, in Normal is 1, in Oak Lawn is 5, in Oak Park is 1, in Orland Park is 3, in Park Ridge is 5, in Peoria is 4, in Plainfield is 1, in River Forest is 1, in Rockford is 9, in Roscoe is 1, in Saint Charles is 1, in Schaumburg is 1, in Springfield is 6, in Tinley Park is 1, in Tuscola is 1, in Urbana is 2, and in Winfield is 5.

Most people think that Chicago, because of its size and popularity, is Illinois’ capital city, but that distinction belongs to Springfield, home of the Abraham Lincoln Museum. Illinois has hundreds of museums, numerous yearly art and ethnic festivals, a lakeshore bordering Lake Michigan, and the many national forests and parks that offers visitors camping, horseback riding, biking, kayaking, and fishing. Chicago is home to the Sears Tower, the Shedd Aquarium, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Adler Planetarium, the Museum of Science and Industry, and other cultural opportunities and restaurants in the Navy Pier area.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Illinois has a population of 12,763,371. Of this population, 3,172,677 are under the age of 18 and 1,523,937 are at or above the age of 65.