Conditions

What We Treat

Conditions of the Gastrointestinal Tract

Your baby’s gastrointestinal tract begins developing as early as gestation week 3. In week 4, this organ develops into three regions — the fore-, mid- and hind-gut — and extends the length of the embryo, ultimately becoming the gastrointestinal tract. [1] Fetal Gastrointestinal Tract Conditions Echogenic bowel masses Echogenic bowel masses are also… Read more »

Congenital Chest Malformations

Congenital chest malformations are rare and can range from small, asymptomatic entities to large masses that require immediate surgery. Malformations of the developing chest cavity can often present as hybrid conditions, meaning that several of the following conditions can be present at one time. Fetal chest malformations are typically diagnosed through fetal sonography, and when… Read more »

Abdominal Wall Defects

As a fetus is developing, it’s normal for digestive organs like the intestines to protrude outside of the abdomen and into the umbilical cord. Then, as the fetus develops further, those organs move inside the abdomen and are enclosed by the abdominal wall. When an abdominal wall defect occurs, the abdominal wall does not close… Read more »

Craniofacial Anomalies

Craniofacial anomalies refer to a variety of deformities that occur in the growth of the head and facial bones. These abnormalities, which are present when the baby is born, vary greatly in severity and come in many different forms. Treatment will depend upon the child’s overall health, age, symptoms and severity. What Causes Craniofacial Anomalies?… Read more »

Cardiovascular Abnormalities

Fetal cardiovascular abnormalities are fairly common, with congenital cardiac disease occurring in between two and six of every 1,000 live births. Many of these anomalies can be detected by ultrasound at between 18 and 22 weeks. Early detection can greatly improve outcomes and significantly reduce mortality when compared to infants who are diagnosed at birth. About… Read more »

Fetal Neck Conditions

Disorders affecting a fetus’s head or neck are caused by a variety of factors, but often are associated with other genetic disorders. Their treatment and outcome depend on the stage of gestation when the diagnosis is made, severity of the disorder, and many other individual factors. Congenital High Airway Obstruction Syndrome (CHAOS) When a… Read more »

Central Nervous System Conditions

Conditions of the fetal central nervous system (CNS) are among the most frequently diagnosed congenital abnormalities, occurring at a rate of about 10 per 1,000 live births. Thanks to advances in sonographic imaging, care providers are able to examine the fetal CNS in detail during a prenatal sonogram, which is usually performed when the fetus… Read more »

Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR)

If a pregnant mother is small, it may be normal for her baby to be small. But when a developing fetus doesn’t grow at the expected rate inside the womb, intrauterine growth restriction may be identified. Depending on the cause of IUGR, the developing baby may be small all over, or his or her head… Read more »

Congenital Heart Defects (CHD)

Congenital heart defects are problems present at birth that affect the structure of the baby’s heart and how it works. A congenital heart defect happens when the heart, or blood vessels near the heart, don’t develop normally before birth. There are many forms of CHD, and recent progress in the diagnosis and treatment of these… Read more »

Sacrococcygeal Teratoma (SCT)

A sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT) is a type of tumor that forms on a baby’s tailbone (coccyx) before birth. It is one of the most common tumors in newborns, but still rare. It happens in 1 in 23,000 to 1 in 40,000 live births.