Saint Louis (PRWEB) July 23, 2014

Five years ago, when the SSM St. Louis Fetal Care Institute opened its doors there were few options for babies diagnosed with a medical condition before birth. They had to wait for delivery, or travel across the country for innovative fetal therapies. Since then, nearly 1,000 families have chosen the St. Louis Fetal Care Institute to care for their babies in the womb, and the team has performed more than 300 fetal surgeries and interventions.

“A number of the babies we see are facing life-threatening situations. Using the most advanced technology and experienced team we are able to give many of them a chance at life outside the womb,” said Mike Vlastos, MD, the director of the St. Louis Fetal Care Institute.

The Fetal Care Institute brings together the best pediatric and maternal-fetal specialists from SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center, SSM St. Mary’s Health Center and Saint Louis University School of Medicine. This team of experts provides advanced diagnoses, fetal monitoring, and minimally invasive (laser based) and open fetal surgery. Fetal surgeries and deliveries are performed at St. Mary’s Health Center. When the baby is facing a very high-risk delivery, cesarean sections and EXIT (Ex Utero Intrapartum Treatment) deliveries are performed at Cardinal Glennon.

“Beyond offering fetal surgery, it is our goal to provide a compassionate support system for all of our families while arming them with the knowledge they need to make the best decisions for themselves and their babies,” said Katie Francis, CPNP, the program coordinator for the St. Louis Fetal Care Institute.

With less than twenty comprehensive fetal care centers in the United States, the St. Louis Fetal Care Institute is one of the most experienced centers performing fetal spina bifida repair. They are the only center in the country performing life-saving minimally invasive laser surgery on bronchopulmonary sequestrations, a type of fetal lung mass. They were one of the first in the St. Louis region to perform an EXIT (Ex Utero Intrapartum Treatment) delivery, as well as laser surgery for twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS).

About The St. Louis Fetal Care Institute

The St. Louis Fetal Care Institute is a partnership between SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center, SSM St. Mary’s Health Center and Saint Louis University School of Medicine. Bringing together renowned maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) specialists, pediatric and fetal surgeons, specialized nurses, cutting-edge technology, and a family-oriented approach, The Institute offers state-of-the-art diagnostic methods and treatment options for families whose unborn babies are facing medical challenges. It is one of the leading comprehensive fetal care programs in the country offering a variety of fetal interventions and treatments, including open and minimally invasive fetal surgery for babies in the womb.






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