Fetal Conditions We Treat

As one of the few truly comprehensive fetal care programs in the world, the Colorado Fetal Care Center offers state-of-the-art treatment for nearly all fetal conditions affecting expectant parents and their babies.

We provide personalized care and use advanced technology to ensure the earliest possible diagnosis and care for fetal conditions.

At Children’s Hospital Colorado, our team of specialists is skilled in every type of fetal testing and intervention available, and we are committed to providing the best care to every family. Learn about all the fetal conditions we treat.

Fetal abnormalities

The majority of fetal conditions we treat are considered fetal abnormalities or anomalies, which are conditions that impact the fetus or embryo and could have serious and lasting effects for the baby. We treat dozens of fetal anomalies and ensure some of the best outcomes for babies with a fetal diagnosis. Our multidisciplinary team works with specialists across our hospital to care for conditions requiring specialized care in orthopedics, pulmonology, cardiology, neurology , gastroenterology and many other areas. This collaboration ensures you have the foremost experts caring for your baby, under one roof, no matter their condition.

Fetal heart conditions

Our Fetal Cardiology Program is one of the best in the country at caring for babies with a congenital heart defect (or CHD, an abnormal heart structure) and their families. We care for you and your baby before birth and through every step of your journey — even into adulthood for some patients with CHD. Our care team has the expertise, technology and compassion to ensure the best outcome for your baby.

Learn more about the fetal heart conditions we treat

Fetal conditions affecting twins

Certain types of fetal abnormalities are specific to twins, and our care team has extensive experience and training to treat them. These conditions often affect one twin more than the other so our team works hard to treat fetal conditions before birth, when appropriate, to ensure the best outcome for both babies. We create specialized care plans for your twins and work with experts to coordinate their ongoing care to help them grow up as healthy as possible.

Conditions affecting twins include:

• Twin-to-twin-transfusion syndrome (TTTS)
• Conjoined twins
• Twin reversed arterial perfusion sequence (TRAP sequence)
• Malformations in twins
• Monoamniotic twins

Fetal genetic disorders

Some fetal conditions are caused by issues in a baby’s genes or chromosomes. These problems can put a baby at risk for conditions such as Down syndrome, Edwards syndrome, Patau syndrome and others. Our team, including a dedicated geneticist, provides genetic screening and testing before birth to help you get the most accurate information and make the best decision for your baby’s care. Once we identify a condition, we help you develop a unique care plan for your baby and your family’s needs.

Abdominal wall defects

Abdominal wall defects affect the stomach, intestines and other digestive organs in a developing baby. We often detect these before a baby is born and can treat them either in utero or after birth. We have a dedicated team of fetal care specialists who are well-acquainted with a variety abdominal wall defects, which include:

• Bladder exstrophy
• Body-stalk anomaly
• Cloacal exstrophy
• Ectopia cordis
• Gastroschisis
• Omphalocele
• Pentalogy of Cantrell

Genitourinary Anomalies

We care for many conditions involving the genitourinary system, which includes the kidneys, bladder, urethra and other parts of the pelvis. Our experts can detect, and sometimes treat, many of these conditions before birth. We have fetal care specialists who can help evaluate your baby, discuss care options and provide world-class care before, during and after birth, including into adulthood. Genitourinary anomalies we care for include:

• Megacystis microcolon intestinal hypoperistalsis syndrome
• VACTERL association
• Eagle-Barrett syndrome (prune belly syndrome)
• Posterior urethral valves and bladder outlet obstruction
• Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease
• Ectopic ureter and megaureter

What is a high-risk pregnancy?

Many of the families we care for have what is considered a high-risk pregnancy, meaning you and/or your unborn baby are at higher risk for complications and health issues. Based on what makes a pregnancy high-risk, your doctors will recommend the best course of care for your family. Maternal fetal experts may deem a pregnancy high-risk for many reasons, but they usually fall into one of three categories:

• Prenatal (before birth) conditions: Many conditions babies have before birth can pose a risk to both you, as the person carrying the baby, and your baby. These conditions include congenital heart defects, genetic conditions, fetal growth restriction and many other fetal conditions listed on this page. Maternal fetal specialists like ours will advise you on which prenatal conditions pose a risk to your health and require specialized care in a fetal center.
• Pregnancy-related issues: Sometimes, circumstances related to the pregnancy itself can make it high-risk. These include a multiple pregnancy (twins, triplets and more babies), a history of pregnancy losses, infection, twin-twin transfusion syndrome, amniotic fluid issues and other circumstances. Your doctor will advise you on whether your pregnancy-related issue requires care at a specialized fetal care center.
• Paternal risk factors: Certain conditions and lifestyle factors can also make a pregnancy high-risk. If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, thyroid disease, epilepsy and other conditions, it can create higher risk for complications for you and your baby. If you had an organ transplant, smoke tobacco products, vape, drink alcohol or use drugs, your pregnancy is at higher risk for complications. If you have these risk factors, you might see a maternal fetal medicine specialist throughout your pregnancy, but you don’t typically need care in a fetal care center like ours. If needed, our team can connect you with maternal fetal specialists in our community.

Generally, your primary doctor will continue to lead your care during pregnancy, and they will advise you on treatment if they deem your pregnancy high-risk for paternal or pregnancy-related reasons. They will likely refer you to a fetal care center like ours if your baby has a prenatal condition or you have a specific pregnancy-related issue. If your family is in our care, we continually coordinate with your primary doctor.