The Fetal Center at Vanderbilt

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 Clinic opened in September 2021 to provide families who come to us from across the country with better access to services. Our clinic 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. 

The Reed Family Clinic space and our Level IV NICU are located at Monroe Carell's 9th floor, 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 community.

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.

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.

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.