About Your Visit
Your visit to our Center is planned so that everything takes place in a single day. We understand the anxiety prospective parents often feel and we want to give you the information you need as quickly as possible. Our assistance begins with your initial appointment request -- when we schedule your appointment, we can help you to arrange travel and accommodations for your trip to Philadelphia.
Upon arrival at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, the nurse coordinator will take a full medical history and outline your plan for the day, which will include diagnostic testing, a meeting to review results and plan treatment, and a tour of our facility. The nurse coordinator will ensure that you have a seamless, coordinated visit as you move throughout the day's schedule.
Testing
Accurate diagnosis is essential to planning treatment, so we will perform tests to establish or confirm your baby's diagnosis. You will have these fetal monitoring tests during your initial consultation visit:
- Ultrasound -- a high-resolution, 3-D ultrasound performed by radiologists who specialize in prenatal diagnosis allows targeted evaluation of the fetus and any structural anomalies.
- Fetal echocardiogram - studies of the fetal heart are an invaluable diagnostic tool, yet few practitioners are trained in this highly specialized discipline. Our team includes pediatric cardiologists who specialize in fetal diagnosis.
Depending upon your baby's needs, you may also have additional tests:
- Ultrafast fetal MRI -- an imaging technique advanced at CHOP that requires no sedation of mother or fetus. In selected cases, we also perform 3 D ultrafast fetal MRI.
- Diagnostic fetoscopy
- Amniocentesis
- Chorionic villus sampling (CVS)
- Fetal blood sampling
- Fetal skin/muscle biopsy
Consultation
Once your test results are completed, you will meet with the team in one of our comfortable counseling rooms. Our team members include, but are not limited to:
- Maternal-fetal medicine/reproductive geneticist
- Pediatric surgeon
- Genetic counselor
- Nurse coordinator
We will explain your test results in detail and take time to answer all your questions. We also will outline your treatment options so that you have all the information you need to make the best decision for you and your family. After our meeting, we will contact your physician by telephone and send correspondence regarding the consultation within 24-48 hours.
Contact us for more information or request an appointment
- Call 1-800-IN-UTERO (1-800-468-837)
- Use our convenient online form.
Contact Us
- 1-800-468-8376
- (1-800-IN-UTERO)
