What to Expect When You Visit the Fetal Care Center
You’ll receive the information you need to make informed decisions about your baby’s care.
Receiving a diagnosis that may affect your pregnancy and your child’s health can be stressful. From your first visit through delivery we help you understand your diagnosis and explain the details in clear, easy-to-understand language. We also guide you throughout the process and put resources in place to support families.
Your Fetal Care Nurse Navigator
A dedicated nurse navigator is your primary contact at our Fetal Care Center. Based on your initial diagnosis, your nurse navigator will reach out to all the appropriate specialists you may need to see. From your very first appointment and throughout your pregnancy, they’ll assist in coordinating your care and ensure you see these specialists at every visit.
Our nurse navigators not only help coordinate the details of your medical care, they also guide you throughout the process. During this stressful time, your nurse navigator is here to support and empower you to make the care decisions that are right for you and your baby.
Your nurse navigator assists you by:
- Coordinating care with your primary obstetrician (OB) and maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) doctor
- Acting as a liaison among all providers to ensure that your care team is on the same page
- Making appointments, including those that involve seeing multiple specialists on the same day
- Supporting you and your family. They can help connect you with our supportive services and answer any questions you have about your care plan.
Advanced Diagnostic Testing
When you arrive for your appointment at the Fetal Care Center, your first stop will likely be for evaluation and testing. We perform additional testing to confirm your baby’s diagnosis. Also, in many cases we perform follow-up tests after your baby is born to confirm the diagnosis and most effective treatment. Learn more about fetal diagnostic testing.
Meeting Your Specialty Care Team
Depending on the diagnosis, you’ll meet with multiple fetal care specialists. In addition to your OB and MFM doctor, specialists involved in your baby’s care may include:
- Cardiac intensivists
- Cleft and craniofacial specialists
- Fetal cardiologists
- Gastroenterologists
- General surgeons
- Geneticists and genetic counselors
- Neonatologists
- Nephrologists
- Neurologists
- Neurosurgeons
- Ear, Nose and Throat (Otolaryngologists)
- Orthopedic surgeons
- Plastic surgeons
- Urologists
A Customized Care Plan
As soon as testing is complete and you’ve met with all related specialists, we put together a plan for your pregnancy, delivery and beyond. When you leave your first appointment at the Fetal Care Center, you’ll know what to expect in the coming months. We aim to ensure you have all the information you need to make informed choices for you, your baby and your family.