The Fetal Center at Vanderbilt
Compassionate comprehensive care for mom and baby
The Fetal Center at Vanderbilt is a comprehensive fetal diagnosis, therapy and surgery center, committed to providing mothers and babies with highly personalized and specialized care. Our experienced team of maternal-fetal medicine, neonatal and pediatric surgery specialists care for expectant mothers and babies at risk for or born with congenital birth defects or abnormalities.
The Junior League of Nashville provided the groundwork for comprehensive maternal fetal care programming at Vanderbilt more than a decade ago when it made a transformative gift to improve care for pregnant women and their infants. The League’s vision enabled programming to get off the ground, expand and set the foundation for what is now The Reed Family Maternal Fetal Clinic.
Conditions We Treat
We treat maternal fetal conditions, including:
- Abdominal mass
- Agenesis of the corpus callosum
- Anhydramnios
Meet Your Care Team
Your complete Fetal Center team includes sonographers, genetic counselors, patient care coordinators and a social worker.
Kelly A. BennettMD, MS
- Fetal Anomalies in Pregnancy, Gynecology, High Risk Pregnancy, Maternal Fetal Medicine (High Risk Pregnancy)
Stephane A. BraunMD
- Breast Reconstructive Surgery, Cleft Lip and Palate, Fetal Surgery for Spina Bifida, Microvascular Reconstructive Surgery, Pediatric Plastic Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Why Choose The Fetal Center at Vanderbilt
- Personal maternal-fetal care
Mothers and babies referred to The Fetal Center at Vanderbilt undergo extensive screening, monitoring and possibly surgery, either in-utero or after birth. We tailor your care to your individual needs. You may only encounter a maternal-fetal medicine specialist, sonographer or genetic counselor at a clinic in your community. Your baby may receive care at our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit after birth other. We may also schedule you for one or more pre-natal appointments at The Reed Family Maternal Fetal Clinic.
- The Reed Family Maternal Fetal Clinic
The Reed Family Clinic opened in September 2021 to provide families who come to us from across the country with better access to services. The beautiful new clinic on the 9th floor of Children's Hospital has a dedicated procedure suite; four large exam rooms with special lighting and large, comfortable chairs; and five ultrasound rooms, each with a private restroom and the latest ultrasound technology. We process all ultrasounds on site, so you and your care team can develop plans in real time. We also offer a genetic counseling room, two consultation rooms and a telemedicine suite, so experts can virtually meet with you as needed.
- Collaborative care
The Reed Family Clinic space and our Level IV NICU are located at Children's Hospital, connected to Vanderbilt University Hospital. All the experts for mom and baby – high-risk obstetricians, anesthesiologists, pediatric surgeons and neonatologists – are together in one place. We collaborate closely with your primary obstetric provider by regularly sharing updates, images and test results. We encourage co-managed care when possible so your family can stay in your local community.
- Pioneers in fetal surgery
We have performed more than 300 fetal surgeries, giving us expertise unmatched by most fetal centers. Vanderbilt pioneered the fetal repair of myelomeningocele, a type of spina bifida, in 1997. Today we are known worldwide for this surgery.
- Post-natal care
We help coordinate post-natal care for you and baby with appropriate specialists. Sometimes surgeries or additional procedures must be performed after delivery. We see you through the process and help you get to know Children’s Hospital. The same surgeons and specialists that care for newborns often take care of that child for years to come. We are the foundation of lifelong caregiver relationships.
- Innovative research
We are actively involved in multicenter research projects advancing the understanding and treatment of fetal congenital heart disease and fetal arrhythmias. This includes collaborative research projects through the Fetal Heart Society and the North American Fetal Therapy Network. We have ongoing research efforts working to optimize feeding and nutrition in newborns requiring heart surgery.