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...
World’s first stem cell treatment for spina bifida delivered during fetal surgery
Three babies have been born after receiving the world’s first spina bifida treatment combining surgery with stem cells. This was made possible by a landmark clinical trial at UC Davis Health.
The new treatment, delivered while a fetus is still in the mother’s womb, could improve outcomes for children with this birth defect.
Pioneering Fetal Medicine Center Gathers Thousands for 26th Annual Family Reunion
The annual reunion brings together a unique community of families who have shared similar struggles. Nearly all the children in attendance had been prenatally diagnosed with a birth defect, such as spina bifida, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, or twin-twin transfusion syndrome, that had potentially devastating outcomes.
Fetomaternal Alloimmunization: Alexandra’s Story
I was diagnosed with fetomaternal alloimmunization, a condition in which a mother’s body creates antibodies against a fetus’ blood antigens. This diagnosis crushed us. My husband and I wanted a lot of children, and now we were left wondering whether we could even have a second.
Liam: Fetal Surgery for Myelomeningocele (MMC) Spina Bifida Repair
“The doctor came in and handed me a box of tissues,” Katie recalls. “She was saying something about an abnormal pregnancy, shunts, abnormalities of the left leg, club foot. I was in complete shock at that point, and I couldn’t really make out what she was saying because it felt like time was suspended.”
In a span of two hours, their lives had been turned upside down.
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.”
How Mono-Mono Twins Overcame Incredible Hurdles
When Beth Kanemoto was pregnant with identical twins Kai and Klay, it felt like every two weeks she received more bad news. First, they learned the pregnancy was high risk. Initially, doctors thought the twins might be conjoined, but they soon learned that instead, Klay and Kai were considered mono-mono twins, meaning that they shared just one amniotic sac with no barrier between them.
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.