About This Program
The Cardiac Fetal Program is a specialty program within the Texas Center for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease, a clinical partnership between Dell Children’s Medical Center and UT Health Austin.
The Cardiac Fetal Program diagnoses, monitors, and manages the care of babies diagnosed with heart problems in utero. Heart problems can include congenital heart disease, heart rhythm problems, or other problems that affect the fetal heart. Advances in prenatal care, such as advanced imaging and testing, have allowed for many heart problems to be detected as early as 12 weeks of gestation. If your baby has been diagnosed with a possible congenital heart problem, the Cardiac Fetal Program care team will work with you to ensure that you understand your baby’s problem, treatment options, and plans for delivery as well as help you better understand the impact that your baby’s problem with have on you and your family in the short, mid, and long term. Our team will also inform all the necessary care team members of your baby’s diagnosis to ensure everyone is prepared for your baby’s arrival.
The Cardiac Fetal Program care team is comprised of nationally recognized and highly specialized physicians across different disciplines housed in a single cardiac care unit at Dell Children’s Medical Center. With access to expert staff and advanced technology, we provide a wide range of services, from evaluation, testing, and diagnosis to medical management, home monitoring, rehabilitation, heart surgery, and more, to give patients and their families the best quality of life.
Treatment Approach
As an expectant parent prenatally diagnosed with a congenital heart problem, you may experience a range of emotions. The Cardiac Fetal Program care team is here to provide you with all the support and information you and your family need regarding your child’s condition, development, and post-delivery care. Our experienced and specialized cardiac care teams treat some of the most complex pediatric heart conditions in the world, and the Cardiac Care Unit, cardiac catheterization (cath) labs, and operating rooms manage urgent care needs 24/7. We are dedicated to an uncompromising quality of care and work with you and your family to ensure the best possible outcome for your child.
Patients are cared for by a dedicated multidisciplinary care team, meaning you and your child will benefit from the expertise of multiple specialists across a variety of disciplines. Our board-certified and fellowship-trained pediatric and congenital heart surgeons have extensive experience treating heart defects and work alongside a team of pediatric cardiac experts, including cardiologists, interventional cardiologists, electrophysiologists, critical care specialists, hospitalists, anesthesiologists, perfusionists, nurses, advanced practice providers, social workers, psychologists, child life specialists, dietitians, physical and occupational therapists, pharmacists, and more, providing unparalleled care for patients and their families every step of the way.
Appointment Information
For more information about the Cardiac Fetal Program at Dell Children’s, please call 1-855-324-0091.