When Addie and Ryan learned during pregnancy that their baby was diagnosed with a large omphalocele, a rare birth defect that causes abdominal organs to develop outside the body, they were overwhelmed. Their obstetrician referred them to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s (CHOP) Richard D. Wood Jr. Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment, where a highly specialized team can care for families facing omphalocele and other complex conditions
Expert Teams Ready from the Moment of Delivery
Baby Grace was delivered via C-section in CHOP’s Garbose Family Special Delivery Unit, the world’s first birth facility designed exclusively for babies with known birth defects. Immediately after birth, CHOP’s Neonatal Surgical Team was ready to stabilize her and begin the delicate process of caring for her exposed organs before transferring her to the Newborn/Infant Intensive Care Unit.
Recovery, Growth, and Early Bonding in the N/IICU
Over the following weeks in the N/IICU, Grace required intensive surgical and medical care, along with constant monitoring for breathing and feeding challenges. During a time when holding their newborn wasn’t always possible, Addie and Ryan were guided by nurses in meaningful ways to bond with their daughter as she continued her long recovery. From prenatal diagnosis to complex surgery and months of specialized care, Grace’s journey reflects CHOP’s commitment to treating the whole child — including details that will matter long after the hospital stay ends.
Learn how CHOP’s expert teams supported Grace and her family every step of the way.
