Conditions Managed by the Fetal Health Center
Better outcomes for moms and babies
Often, conditions identified in the womb can be treated with fetal surgery before birth.
We use needle-guided techniques to treat the following conditions:
- Fetal percutaneous umbilical blood sampling (PUBS) procedures, with or without transfusion
- Fetal thoracoamniotic shunt placements
- Fetal vesicoamniotic shunt placements
- Amnioreductions
- Fetal paracentesis
- Fetal thoracocentesis
- Fetal cyst aspiration/drainage
Fetal conditions we see at Children's Mercy
Here are some conditions that are often treated with intervention:
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Amniotic Band Syndrome - the developing baby is exposed to floating tissues that can become entangled around them
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Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia - The diaphragm fails to close during prenatal development and the contents from the abdomen move into the chest
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Congenital Pulmonary Airway Malformation - where a mass of abnormal fetal lung tissue forms, usually in one lung causing it not to function as normal
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Discordant Monochorionic Twins - discordant monochorionic twins creates a possibility that the babies will develop Twin-to-twin Transfusion Syndrome
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Fetal Anemia - the baby has an inadequate number or quality of red blood cells in their circulatory system
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Fetal Bladder Outlet Obstruction - the baby's bladder has a blockage preventing the urine flow into the amniotic fluid
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Fetal Tumors - tumors found in prenatal development that can harm the baby by requiring significant blood supply
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Iatrogenic and Previable Ruptured Membranes - management should the amniotic fluids break or leak either spontaneously or after a prior invasive procedure
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Placental Chorioangioma - removal of benign tumors in the placenta
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Selective Intrauterine Growth Restriction - the baby's fetal weight is below the 10th percentile