Introduction

The field of fetal therapy has grown exponentially over the last 3+ decades. Centers with expertise in this field have developed world-wide supported by advances in prenatal diagnosis, fetal imaging, and interventions. Fetal therapies include medical or surgical approaches that aim to achieve a complete cure, mitigate severe pediatric developmental or functional deficiencies, or optimize the fetal transition to extrauterine life. Fetal centers consist of multi-disciplinary teams including maternal fetal medicine, fetal and pediatric surgery, neonatology, cardiology, anesthesia, radiology, and others. The population of patients managed in fetal therapy centers ultimately requires high-level neonatal care provided at many of the Children’s Hospital Neonatal Consortium Centers. As a result, the FTFG of the Consortium allows us the opportunity to enhance understanding and improve outcomes in our fetal care centers through shared data analysis and clinical collaboration.

Mission & Goals

1. Initiate and support research initiatives to provide evidence-based guidelines about the benefits and risks of fetal interventions.
2. Encourage and facilitate the education of obstetrical, surgical, and neonatal providers regarding the latest scientific evidence for and against fetal interventions.
3. Create educational materials based on best practice consensus and serve as a resource for training fellows and multidisciplinary teams in smaller or emerging fetal therapy programs.
4. Foster collaborative opportunities with external organizations (e.g. North American Fetal Therapy Network) to help achieve mutual research, patient education, and optimal clinical care goals.

Accomplishments

CHND research protocols:

1. Initiate and support research initiatives to provide evidence-based guidelines about the benefits and risks of fetal interventions.
2. Encourage and facilitate the education of obstetrical, surgical, and neonatal providers regarding the latest scientific evidence for and against fetal interventions.
3. Create educational materials based on best practice consensus and serve as a resource for training fellows and multidisciplinary teams in smaller or emerging fetal therapy programs.
4. Foster collaborative opportunities with external organizations (e.g. North American Fetal Therapy Network) to help achieve mutual research, patient education, and optimal clinical care goals.