The joy that parents feel upon learning they are expecting is often tampered by medical complications and concerns. After a fetal syndrome is diagnosed, parents need to quickly understand the basics of the maternal fetal medicine world. Learn more about maternal fetal care centers and how to find them.
“Both the mom and fetus or newborn have access to a full range of hospital services from labs to imaging to counseling and surgery in one area. The close proximity also allows for further bonding between the parents and the infant at a critical time. Additionally, co-locating the care team fosters collaboration in emergency situations,” stated McGuinness.
“We have a unique approach that is a technique first established in Brazil by Dr. Lapa, and we brought it over to the United States. Dr. Quintero and I have put together a fetoscopic treatment that is FDA approved to repair open spina bifida, that is entirely percutaneous (there is no laparotomy and no hysterectomy),” said Dr. Ramen Chmait, Director, Los Angeles Fetal Surgery.
I saw my physician’s name come across my phone screen, and my heart sank. He explained that the ultrasound showed an abnormality, and he predicted a spina bifida diagnosis. I had no idea what that meant, and the rest of the words coming out of his mouth became a blur.
“There’s a major problem with your pregnancy.” Are words no expecting parents anticipate hearing. At our routine twenty-week ultrasound, the ultrasound technician got the doctor, and we heard the words that would forever change our lives. “The bladder isn’t releasing urine” and “the amniotic fluid level is dangerously low.”
Growing up in the 1960’s, Dr. Diana Farmer’s mother taught Sunday school for disabled children where she first met children who had spina bifida.
“It was a really crummy disease,” Farmer said. Dr. Farmer is now leading innovative research, which holds promise of saving lives and lifetimes.
In the video she discusses the improvements that resulted from the initial fetal surgeries, including a reduction in the need for shunts. She now believes that with the latest breakthroughs involving fetal surgery and stem cells that the paralysis associated with spina bifida will be cured in her lifetime.
My husband and I found out we were pregnant over Memorial Day weekend. It was still really early, but I was having some side pain and my sister had an ectopic pregnancy once so I wanted to get checked out. We went in for our first OB appointment with feelings of...
“What should we do now?” parents wonder. Fetal Health Founder Lonnie Somers shares what he’s learned about the time after a fetal diagnosis.
Aran Hissam is a member of the Fetal Health Foundation Board. Before joining our organization, she channeled her experience with a fetal syndrome, non-immune fetal hydrops, to her work with the Brianna Marie Foundation. The Fetal Health Foundation's Research Grant...
Update: We're delighted to note that after being recognized in 2015, Dr. Miller is among the authors of a 2020 study on success in treating CDH with "FETO -- fetoscopic tracheal balloon occlusion -- is a minimally invasive procedure in which a fetoscope is inserted...