Fetal Treatment Program

Established in 1992, Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center’s Fetal Treatment Program is the longest-standing fetal care center in the area. We are one of only 20 medical centers in the United States and Canada, and the only one in central Ohio, that are members of the North American Fetal Therapy Network (NAFTNet). This means we have established expertise in fetal surgery and other forms of care for complex disorders of the fetus. We also are a member of the Ohio Fetal Medicine Collaborative, a joint program between local hospitals and Nationwide Children's Hospital.

In addition, our physicians are actively involved in clinical research and have participated in the development and testing of many of the fetal and diagnostic procedures and treatments we offer. Research studies in fetal treatment for certain conditions also may be available to you.

Finally, as an academic medical center, we provide innovative research, depth of medical expertise, and the latest technologies and fetal treatment techniques. We’re also part of Ohio State, which means we have access to resources, equipment and support — including the region’s only Prenatal Reference Laboratory — that make certain treatments possible only here.

We help expectant mothers who have been diagnosed with a pregnancy complication of the fetus, including:

• Abdominal wall defects
• Blood cell incompatibility between mother and baby
• Cleft lip and/or palate
• Chromosome abnormalities
• Excess fluid in one or more area
• Heart defects
• Diaphragmatic hernia
• Low red blood cell (fetal anemia) or platelet count
• Lung defects
• Neural tube defects (spina bifida)
• Neurological defects
• Orthopaedic problems (club foot)
• Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome
• Urologic defects

Uncertainty surrounding the diagnosis of a developmental abnormality in your baby can be extremely confusing and distressing. Our team of experienced perinatologists, sonographers, genetic counselors and nurses provide expert, compassionate care from diagnosis to delivery. We coordinate all screenings and diagnostic procedures, working with your primary ob/gyn to develop a birthing plan. Additionally, in advance of delivery, we coordinate the plan for your baby’s care with our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and any necessary pediatric specialists.