The University of Chicago Medicine Fetal and Neonatal Care Center provides comprehensive services for women with high-risk pregnancies. Our multidisciplinary team taps into leading-edge research to offer the latest diagnostic tools and approaches for babies who require the most specialized care.
We recognize that no two patients are the same. Our goal is to offer personalized, patient-centered care and superior service to help support you and your family through an otherwise challenging health experience.
Coordinating Your Family's Care Experience
Once a diagnosis is confirmed, your maternal-fetal medicine physician will assemble a dedicated team of specialists to develop a care plan for your baby. Our nurse care coordinator will ensure that you meet the right specialists at the right time and that all necessary follow-up takes place.
Fetal Imaging & Image-Guided Procedures
UChicago Medicine specialists bring together more than 150 years of collective experience of expertise in conducting and interpreting fetal anatomy ultrasounds, echocardiograms and MRIs. Our state-of-the-art facilities are equipped with the most sophisticated imaging technology capable of making definitive diagnoses of your baby’s congenital conditions.We perform numerous types of fetal ultrasound, including:
- Nuchal translucency (NT) scans to determine if fluid is accumulating at the back of the baby’s neck; this build-up can be a marker for Down syndrome or heart defects.
- Detailed anatomy ultrasound to detect irregularities in the brain, heart, kidney and other critical organs.
- 3D and 4D ultrasound to assist in the comprehensive evaluation of a baby’s anatomy. These innovative technologies can help doctors better asses a baby’s movements and health.
- Non-invasive Doppler assessments using sound waves to measure the baby’s blood flow
- Transvaginal ultrasound to assess a mother’s risk of having a preterm baby
- Specialized ultrasound assessments of an irregular placenta to rule out whether it has grown into the wall of the uterus (morbidly adherent placenta)
- Monitoring for complications associated with a multiple pregnancy (e.g., twins, triplets or more)
- Assessing a baby’s abnormal growth
- Pediatric echocardiography to assess the structure and function of the baby’s heart
- Amniocentesis to test for chromosomal disorders, congenital infections and neural tube defects
- Percutaneous Umbilical Blood Sampling (PUBS) to assess for severe fetal anemia
- Intrauterine Transfusion (IUT), which involves transfusing blood to a severely anemic baby while he or she is still in the womb
- Monitoring of fetal health such as biophysical profile (BPP) and nonstress testing (NST), usually during the last trimester.
Comprehensive Care & Services for Complex Fetal Conditions
We provide clear, condition-specific genetic counseling services to help every mother understand her baby’s condition and plan of care.
Our licensed genetic counselors meet with families individually. A counselor can help you decide on additional testing and coordinate care with other providers as needed.
With our Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) just steps away from our birthing suites, we ensure seamless transitions to neonatal care for newborns experiencing the most complex and acute conditions or illnesses. Prior to your delivery, you will be introduced to the NICU social workers and tour the NICU where your baby will receive initial care after birth.
In preparation for your delivery, we'll coordinate a multidisciplinary meeting with your family and all of the specialists involved in your care. This meeting offers an opportunity to review your care plan in detail and answer any questions you may have.
Once your baby is born, we’ll make sure he or she receives medical or surgical follow-up as needed by ensuring a smooth transition to coordinated care with our experts in the appropriate pediatric specialties, such as:
- Anesthesiology
- Cardiology
- Cardiac surgery
- Craniofacial surgery
- General surgery
- Genetic specialists
- Nephrology
- Neurology
- Neurosurgery
- Orthopaedic surgery
- Plastic & reconstructive surgery
- Radiology
- Urology
Specialized Pediatric Surgical Evaluation & Expertise
All of our pediatric surgical specialists are available under the same roof, making them conveniently accessible for rapid consultations or emergencies.
