The Center for Fetal Medicine and Prenatal Genetics at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) provides compassionate, comprehensive assessment and treatment of inherited conditions and a wide range of fetal disease including twin-twin transfusion syndrome, fetal airway obstruction, hypoplastic left heart syndrome, and congenital diaphragmatic hernia.
Our team, which includes maternal-fetal medicine (high-risk pregnancy) specialists, reproductive endocrinologists, ultrasonographers, sonologists, neonatologists, geneticists, genetic counselors, social workers, and nurses, offers care at the main campus and other locations throughout Greater Boston. Our maternal-fetal medicine (high-risk pregnancy) specialists also work closely with neonatologists in the Department of Pediatrics to deliver specialized care after your baby is born in our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Our maternal-fetal medicine (high-risk pregnancy) specialists also collaborate with pediatricians at Boston Children’s Hospital – connected by a pedestrian bridge to Brigham and Women’s Hospital – to provide specialty pediatric care.
The nationally renowned Fetal Therapy Program provides seamless coordination and treatment for infants requiring treatment before birth (such as fetal blood transfusions, laser, or fetal surgeries). The Program includes specialty services and therapies for a growing number of conditions, including hypoplastic (underdeveloped) left heart syndrome, twin-twin transfusion syndrome (intrauterine blood transfusion from one twin to the other), fetal airway obstruction, and congenital diaphragmatic hernia (hole in the diaphragm). Our fetal therapy team members work closely with our maternal-fetal medicine (high-risk pregnancy) specialists and neonatologists in our Department of Pediatrics to provide coordinated on-going care for these pregnancies.
The Fetal Cardiac Intervention Program is the cornerstone of our Fetal Therapy Program. In collaboration with Boston Children's Hospital, this nationally recognized program is a leader in the development of minimally invasive approaches to treat a fetus with a cardiac condition diagnosed prenatally. The Program specializes in evaluating and providing in utero treatment to alter the progression of hypoplastic left heart disease, a condition that leads to the underdevelopment of the left side of the heart.
The Fetal Therapy Program also specializes in the care of monochorionic twins. Concerns of monochorionic twins (twins that share the same placenta) range from growth disparities to twin-twin transfusion and twin reversed arterial perfusion syndrome. Our Fetal Therapy Program specialists use a combination of surgical and medical management to care for these conditions. To learn more about our specialized care for twins, triplets or higher-order multiples, visit our Comprehensive Care Center for Multiples.
This program is offered to women who may benefit from additional fetal monitoring during the later stages of pregnancy. Such pregnancies include women with hypertension, diabetes, a prior stillbirth, or when concerns for fetal growth are present. This may include listening to the fetal heart rate (a non-stress test), or ultrasound surveillance such as biophysical profile or specialized Doppler studies.
The Genetic Counseling Service provides comprehensive assessment and counseling services before, during, and after pregnancy. At the hospital and locations throughout the community, we care for women with concerns about having a child with birth defects, chromosomal abnormalities, or certain inherited diseases.
The Perinatal Consult Service for referring physicians (outside and inside the hospital) provides their patients with consults covering a wide spectrum of issues that may pose a pregnancy risk. With availability within 24 hours, our team recognizes the need for urgent and detailed plans for women presenting with a wide range of maternal, pregnancy or fetal complications.
The Center for Fetal Medicine and Prenatal Genetics obstetric ultrasound unit offers an array of comprehensive ultrasound evaluations including first trimester assessment, fetal anatomy, and specialized imaging with color, pulsed Doppler, and 3D imaging to thoroughly evaluate a fetus at every stage of development. Maternal-fetal medicine (high-risk pregnancy) specialists and ultrasonographers collaborate with the Center’s neonatologists, geneticists, genetic counselors, and nurses to provide comprehensive assessment and treatment of fetal disease.
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