How Nationwide Children’s is Optimizing Prenatal and Neonatal Care for Infants with Treatable Rare Diseases
4-minute read
Now that there is ever-growing potential to intervene medically before a child is born, it expands the utility of prenatal testing. Doctors can find ways to intervene earlier to improve outcomes.
UCSF Leads the Way in Hydrops Research
3-minute read
University of California at San Francisco Hydrops Center of Excellence leads the way in Hydrops research. Funding from Brianna Marie and Fetal Health Foundations helps experts continue to deliver the latest in-utero treatments.
Tests to expect during pregnancy: Dr. Teresa Harper tells us the six most common tests to ensure the health of mom and baby(ies)
2-minute read
Dr. Teresa Harper, Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist at Children’s Hospital Colorado, tells us which 6 tests are most commonly relied on during pregnancy to help guide care and minimize risks.
Ella’s life is saved after surgery for sacrococcygeal teratoma, a rare fetal tumor, at the Colorado Fetal Care Center
2-minute read
Four years later, Ella is a thriving preschooler and big sister, thanks to Colorado Fetal Care Center. The Center is the only facility in the Rocky Mountain region to offer the complex procedure she underwent to remove a sacrococcygeal teratoma that was twice Ella’s size.
What is HDFN?
2-minute read
HDFN is a rare fetal syndrome that affects later pregnancies. Johnson & Johnson is pioneering research to help women at severe risk. Their clinical trial is currently enrolling women who are at risk for severe HDFN who have a history of severe HDFN in a prior pregnancy.
Fetal Surgery: Seven Questions Dr. Timothy Crombleholme Answered for Us
4-minute read
Renowned expert Dr. Crombleholme answers common questions about fetal interventions and treating babies before they’re born.
Logan’s Recovery from Gastroschisis
~ 5 Min Read ~ “I’m always amazed when I see these babies at birth, and we put the bowel in a silo how we’re able to get that bowel back into the tummy in such a short period of time,” said Paul Wales, MD, surgical director for the Intestinal Rehabilitation Center at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
Cord Blood Banking: What Expectant Parents Should Consider
Is cord blood banking something you should do?
As you eagerly await the arrival of your little one, nothing is more important to you than ensuring the health and safety of your child. At this incredible time of your life, have you considered cord blood banking?
Sacrococcygeal Teratoma: Complex Procedure Saves Baby with Rare Fetal Tumor
~ 6 minute read ~ This sacrococcygeal teratoma article appeared in the spring 2024 edition of Connexions, a magazine for the Fetal Health Community Rural Colorado couple Lyndsy and her husband, Aaron, found out they were expecting their third child, Ella, in November...
How a Cystic Fibrosis Drug Given Prenatally Changed the Lives of One Family
Foundation supporters at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health gave us permission to share this story of hope for prenatal help for cystic fibrosis.
Considering Fetal Surgery or a Fetal Care Center? What to Keep in Mind
Fetal Health Foundation Medical Advisory Board member Dr. Timothy Crombleholme, MD, who leads the Fetal Care Center at Connecticut Children’s, shares six important details to consider when your baby needs fetal intervention not just to survive, but to thrive.
TTTS Triplet Parents Reflect on their Daughters’ Surgery and Birth
Performing surgery on triplets is more complex than on twins. In Tiffini’s case, there were two placentas: Hannah had one placenta all to herself, while Sophia and Isabella were sharing the other placenta, albeit unequally. Sophia and Isabella were affected by TTTS when the volume of blood flow across the connecting blood vessels between them became uneven, with Isabella getting too much and Sophia getting too little.
Newborn Survives Fatal Kidney Diagnosis (Bilateral Renal Agenesis) with Help from Stanford Children’s Medicine
Ten years ago, Abigail Beutler was born without kidneys, a condition called bilateral renal agenesis. Against all odds, she’s alive today to play with her Breyer horses, read her favorite Paul Revere adventure book, and challenge her brother in archery. The family was...
Cecelia: Expert Care for Fetal Heart Block Before and After Birth
When Brittany and Nicholas’ unborn baby, Cecelia, was diagnosed with fetal heart block at 24 weeks gestation, their lives changed immediately — in the most literal sense of the word. They lived in Montana and when their doctor first suspected the heart issue, he told...
Fetal Surgery for Spina Bifida: Jaxyn’s Story
Fetal surgery for spina bifida is improving outcomes. The fetal surgeons at Cincinnati Children's Fetal Care Center, who have extensive experience and innovative intervention therapies to help treat spina bifida in utero, recently shared this story of hope with the...
Giant Omphalocele: Patient born with organs outside of her abdomen receives transformative care
When Brianne Jacobsen was 20 weeks pregnant, her ultrasound revealed that her developing baby’s internal organs were sticking out of its abdomen. The birth defect, known as an omphalocele, required the higher level of expertise of the UC Davis Fetal Care and Treatment Center team.
Fetal Hydrops: Successful In-Utero Surgery by Oregon Health & Science University’s Fetal Care Team
Fetal hydrops is a rare, but far too often fatal condition. The Fetal Health Foundation is thrilled to share, with their permission, a success story and video from Oregon Health & Science University’s Fetal Care team. Stories like this one, of a healthy baby born...
Toddler’s Unstoppable Smile Defies Challenging Start due to LUTO Fetal Diagnosis
“He has so much joy. He’s always smiling, even if it’s a hard day,” says Mandy, Kaleb’s mom. “It’s weird to think of what he has been through at such a young age, but he’s full of life despite all of it.”
Advocacy from Anguish: Bethany Weathersby’s Story
After a diagnosis of maternal fetal alloimmunization and losing baby Lucy to hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN), Bethany took action. She made it her mission to ensure that other mothers diagnosed with maternal alloimmunization had education about the risks of the disease and knew the steps for proper medical care and treatment so that their babies could survive HDFN.
Exercise During and After Pregnancy: The Do’s and Don’t’s
Exercising and staying active while pregnant is one of the best things you can do for you and your baby during your pregnancy. If you have a normal, healthy pregnancy and have been cleared by your health care professional, it is recommended that pregnant women get 30 minutes of exercise at least 5 times a week.
Cincinnati Children’s Reaches New Milestone for Improving Outcomes in Babies with Spina Bifida
Cincinnati Children’s, a national leader in prenatal myelomeningocele surgery, recently conducted their 100th prenatal surgical repair. Kelly Song’s daughter was diagnosed with spina bifida at 20 weeks. Read more:
Fetal Care Chat: Bladder Outlet Obstruction/Lower Urinary Tract Obstruction
Fetal Health Foundation founder and Fetal Care Chat host, Lonnie Somers welcomes esteemed doctors from Cincinnati Children's Fetal Care Center as they discuss bladder outlet obstructions and hear an inspiring story about a miracle little boy, JJ....
Tangie’s Story | Grief, Advocacy, Premature Birth and Black Maternal Care in the U.S.
The morning after I unexpectedly gave birth at 27 weeks, my doctor checked in on me and my baby at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). He said he spent the night in the hospital because we were both in critical condition and he didn’t know if either one of us were going to survive.
Baby Jabari gets a second chance at life
The doctor came in and told Trina that the baby likely had a lower urinary tract obstruction, meaning that he had extra tissue blocking his bladder. This didn’t allow urine to pass through, which meant that amniotic fluid wasn’t being produced to help the baby grow in the womb.
6 Tips for a Better Night Sleep While Pregnant
Being pregnant can be a challenging time, especially when it comes to doing naturally easy every day things — like sleeping. While sleeping might not seem like a problem at first, you’ll eventually see what we mean. Here are 6 tips to help you get a better night’s sleep while your belly continues to grow.