Approximately one in 33 babies in the U.S. is born with a birth defect. Among the most common are atrioventricular septal defects, spina bifida and intestinal atresia or stenosis.1 Many major defects are detected early during routine ultrasound imaging. “For women with a complex, high-risk pregnancy, a multidisciplinary team is usually needed to manage the needs of the mother and baby, throughout pregnancy, delivery and postpartum care,” explains Jaimey M. Pauli, M.D., a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Dr. Pauli and Thomas Chin, M.D., chief, pediatric cardiology, co-direct the Penn State Perinatal Program, an active outreach program for patients who are pregnant or have newborns with birth defects or abnormalities.
“Expectant parents are often overwhelmed when they learn about these serious fetal abnormalities. Aside from coping with the obvious emotional impact, they need help obtaining the complex care their baby requires to achieve the best possible outcomes. With our program, a team of specialists handles everything and provides highly coordinated care at a single center, which reduces stress and supports the parents,” adds Dr. Pauli.
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