Perinatal Cardiology Program
 Director |
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The Perinatal Cardiology
Program at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and Magee-Womens Hospital
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The Perinatal
Cardiology
Program is
a unique subdivision
of the Children’s
Hospital Heart
Center. It
consists of
neonatal cardiology,
fetal cardiology
and maternal
cardiology.
The program
is conducted
primarily
at Magee-Womens
Hospital.
Neonatal cardiology
is the evaluation
and management
of both full-term
and premature
newborns with
cardiac problems.
It involves
both the diagnosis
and management
of congenital
heart disease
and functional
evaluations
of the heart
in very sick
newborns.
Neonatal cardiology
requires close
collaboration
between pediatric
cardiologists
and neonatologists
in both critical
care and research.
The fetal
cardiology
program at
Children's
and Magee-Womens
hospitals
is one of
the busiest
in the world,
performing
approximately
600 fetal
echocardiograms
each year.
Since the
inception
of the program
in 1989, more
than 3,100
women have
undergone
fetal cardiac
evaluation.
Through the
fetal cardiology
program, the
diagnosis
of significant
fetal cardiac
problems can
be made as
early as 15
weeks gestation,
and new techniques
are currently
being developed
to make definitive
diagnosis
even earlier.
Fetal cardiology
involves evaluating
the fetus
for congenital
heart disease
and helps
physicians
manage fetal
cardiac function
in cases where
the baby may
be predisposed
to abnormal
heart function
even though
the heart
is anatomically
normal. The
fetal cardiology
team collaborates
on a daily
basis with
staff from
reproductive
genetics,
high-risk
obstetrics,
ultrasound
and neonatology.
On a monthly
basis, the
staff meets
with physicians
from neurology,
urology, neurosurgery
and pediatric
surgery.
Maternal cardiology
involves the
management
of heart problems
during pregnancy.
To date, the
maternal cardiology
program at
Children’s
and Magee-Womens
has treated
more than
200 pregnant
women, many
of whom have
congenital
heart disease.
Nearly all
of the patients
in the maternal
cardiology
program are
managed jointly
with the Division
of High-Risk
Obstetrics.
During labor
and delivery,
these patients
are cared
for in the
Perinatal
Special Care
Unit at Magee-Womens
Hospital where
they can be
monitored
closely.
For appointments
and consultations
with the Perinatal
Cardiology
Program, call
412-641-4107.
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