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.
Hydrops Fact Sheet | UCSF Hydrops Center of Excellence
Hydrops fetalis is a serious condition that affects about 1 in 1,700 pregnancies. For many families, answers about why this condition occurs have been in short supply because the cause is often not identified through standard testing.
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...
Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH): Fetal Care Chat
Video: Congenital diaphragmatic hernia, or CDH, and treatment options were the topics of conversation for experts from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
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.
Birth Defect Diagnosis: Understanding Your Options
When parents learn that their baby has a birth defect, they experience emotions like confusion, blame, sadness and worry.
As a fetal-pediatric surgeon in the Cincinnati Children’s Fetal Care Center, I encounter families who have just learned that they’re expecting a baby with a birth defect and we’re their next stop….
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.
Exercise During and After Pregnancy: The Do’s and Don’t’s
Exercising and staying active while pregnant is one of the best things you can do for you and your baby during your pregnancy. If you have a normal, healthy pregnancy and have been cleared by your health care professional, it is recommended that pregnant women get 30 minutes of exercise at least 5 times a week.
Cincinnati Children’s Reaches New Milestone for Improving Outcomes in Babies with Spina Bifida
Cincinnati Children’s, a national leader in prenatal myelomeningocele surgery, recently conducted their 100th prenatal surgical repair. Kelly Song’s daughter was diagnosed with spina bifida at 20 weeks. Read more:
Fetal Care Chat: Bladder Outlet Obstruction/Lower Urinary Tract Obstruction
Fetal Health Foundation founder and Fetal Care Chat host, Lonnie Somers welcomes esteemed doctors from Cincinnati Children's Fetal Care Center as they discuss bladder outlet obstructions and hear an inspiring story about a miracle little boy, JJ....
Tangie’s Story | Grief, Advocacy, Premature Birth and Black Maternal Care in the U.S.
The morning after I unexpectedly gave birth at 27 weeks, my doctor checked in on me and my baby at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). He said he spent the night in the hospital because we were both in critical condition and he didn’t know if either one of us were going to survive.
Baby Jabari gets a second chance at life
The doctor came in and told Trina that the baby likely had a lower urinary tract obstruction, meaning that he had extra tissue blocking his bladder. This didn’t allow urine to pass through, which meant that amniotic fluid wasn’t being produced to help the baby grow in the womb.
6 Tips for a Better Night Sleep While Pregnant
Being pregnant can be a challenging time, especially when it comes to doing naturally easy every day things — like sleeping. While sleeping might not seem like a problem at first, you’ll eventually see what we mean. Here are 6 tips to help you get a better night’s sleep while your belly continues to grow.
Fetal Care Chat: Women in Fetal Medicine
Fetal Health Foundation founder and Fetal Care Chat host, Lonnie Somers welcomes three amazing pioneering women in fetal medicine. Dr. Jenan Miller, Dr. Courtney Stephenson, and Dr. Diana Farmer.
Home at Last: Parker Overcomes a Life-Threatening CDH Diagnosis
CDH affects 1,600 babies in the U.S. each year. In CDH, a hole in the diaphragm allows abdominal organs to move upwards into the chest during development, crowding the lungs and inhibiting their proper growth. Underdeveloped lungs and blood vessels that supply the lungs can cause high blood pressure in the lungs, asthma, gastrointestinal reflux, feeding disorders and developmental delays in childhood survivors of CDH.
Rare Expertise for the Rarest Conditions: Unique Surgery Technique Saves Twin Babies
Upon meeting with Colorado Fetal Care Center maternal fetal medicine specialist and fetal surgeon Nick Behrendt, MD, the Oligmuellers learned their case of TTTS was severe. The best solution for TTTS is typically fetoscopic laser ablation. It’s a minimally invasive surgery in which the surgeon inserts a tiny scope into the uterus, through the amniotic sac.
Conjoined twins get life-saving care at UC Davis Health
The team at UC Davis decided to separate these conjoined twins at 9 months of age. They took special precautions such as house calls during COVID to give the girls the best chance at an amazing life.
NICHD Recognizes Hydrops Research Funded by FHF and the Brianna Marie Foundation as a Top Advancement of 2020
We're happy to share exciting news from recipients of our two-time research grant winner! In 2018 and 2019, the Fetal Health Foundation teamed up with the Brianna Marie Foundation to support Dr. Teresa Sparks and her team at the University of California, San...
Foundation and Fetal Therapy Think Tank Join Forces with 3 Bold New Initiatives
Dr. Timothy Crombleholme, Director Fetal Care Center of Dallas, and Lonnie Somers, Chair and Founder of the Fetal Health Foundation announce the joining of the Fetal Therapy Think Tank and the Fetal Health Foundation as one organization with the mission of improving...
One step closer to treating spina bifida with stem cells
With the CIRM funding, the UC Davis team will be able to launch their one-of-a-kind treatment in the coming months. It will be delivered while the baby is still in the mother’s womb (in utero). The complex procedure, with its unique use of a stem cell “patch,” could improve outcomes for children who are born with the severe form of spina bifida known as myelomeningocele.
Should You Get the COVID Vaccine While Pregnant?
“In general, SMFM strongly recommends that pregnant women have access to COVID-19 vaccines in all phases of future vaccine campaigns, and that she and her healthcare professional engage in shared decision-making regarding her receipt of the vaccine. Counseling should balance available data on vaccine safety, risks to pregnant women from SARS-CoV-2 infection, and a woman’s individual risk for infection and severe disease. As data emerge, counseling will likely shift, as some vaccines may be more suitable for pregnant women.
5 Ways Meditation Can Help During Pregnancy
When I was pregnant, it felt like my mind never stopped. When I would try to fall asleep at night, one thought after another would keep me up.
If that sounds like you, meditation is a wonderful way to quiet some of those intrusive thoughts, so you can wind down. With meditation, you will be concentrating on listening to your rhythmic, steady breathing and getting in touch with your baby.