Advancing Fetal Medicine to Improve Outcomes for Babies

A rapidly growing body of evidence suggests that events occurring during pregnancy can result in the development of common, often debilitating conditions across the lifespan. Recent advances in fetal diagnostics, particularly fetal imaging, allow Children’s National physicians to identify conditions that reduce the risk of death or serious injury, and improve the health outcomes of newborns. Intact neurologic function as a newborn is pivotal to a child’s future health. Unfortunately, thousands of babies, in utero and newborn, suffer brain injury. For these reasons, we are “leading with the brain” to advance fetal medicine. Through philanthropic support, our Division of Fetal and Transitional Medicine is leading efforts to: -- Better understand signals of health and disease in utero. -- Advance fetal diagnostic and critical care monitoring technology to identify and measure abnormalities sooner and more precisely develop interventions aimed at treating fetal conditions before irreversible injury occurs. -- Prevent fetal-onset lifespan conditions, such as developmental disabilities, through population-wide strategies for preservation of fetal health. Philanthropy is enabling Children's National to attract world-class clinicians and researchers who are advancing the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of fetal brain injury.