When you and your unborn baby are facing rare and unique medical challenges, you'll find expert care at the Fetal and Neonatal Medicine Center at Rush. Specialists in the center diagnose, manage, support and oversee your care when you are pregnant with a baby who has a confirmed or suspected medical condition, also known as a congenital fetal anomaly, or if you have pregnancy complications that may affect your baby.
The center brings together a team of experts who provide coordinated mother-baby-family care for your pregnancy and beyond. Your team at Rush takes a compassionate approach to your care and is dedicated to providing you with the advanced care you need to ensure the best possible outcomes for you and your baby.
The center has expertise in diagnosing and treating a wide range of complex medical conditions, such as problems with fetal development of the heart, brain and lungs.
What to expect
After your OB-GYN or primary care doctor refers you to the Fetal and Neonatal Medicine Center at Rush, you will be connected with a dedicated nurse who will guide you every step of the way and coordinate your care for the remainder of your pregnancy. The center's collaborative involvement with the many pediatric subspecialties ensures that a comprehensive care plan that is suitable for you and your family’s needs is in place prior to the arrival of your baby. While you are here, you can expect the following:
Expert diagnosis
Using the latest technologies, specialists at the center will perform a number of diagnostic tests to make or confirm a diagnosis. Some of the tests may include the following:
- Amniocentesis
- Advanced ultrasound, including 3D and 4D
- Fetal echocardiogram
- Fetal MRI
- First trimester (nuchal translucency) and second trimester serum screening (quad screening) for chromosomal anomalies
Multidisciplinary consultation and care plan
After your diagnosis, you will join meet with a team of pediatric specialists at the center for a multidisciplinary and collaborative consultation. During the consultation, the fetal and neonatal team will do the following:
- Review all information about your pregnancy and your baby's diagnosis
- Share opinions and educate you on your baby's condition
- Answer your questions
- Make a plan for your continued prenatal care and delivery
- Make a plan for your baby's care after delivery
- Provide you with support contacts for the remainder of your pregnancy and beyond
Emotional support
The team at the center understands that facing pregnancy complications can be overwhelming and emotional. To help guide you through each step of the process, the center offers the following support:
- Clinical coordinators help you navigate through the medical system. They take care of every detail of your care, such as scheduling appointments, finding lodging accommodations if needed and obtaining parking passes.
- A point of contact is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can reach your clinical contact at (312) 942-9472.
- Social workers, chaplains, ethicists and palliative care specialists provide comfort, counseling and guidance to help you through difficult emotions and decisions.
Care for mother and baby
- Care for your baby: If your baby needs intensive care, your baby will be treated in the neonatal intensive care unit, which is located directly adjacent to labor and delivery. This allows a team of neonatalogists to start caring for your baby within seconds of delivery.
- Care for you: You will recover in a postpartum room located close to the NICU. At Rush, you are able to be with your baby in the NICU day or night.
Excellence in Fetal and Neonatal Medicine Care
- Comprehensive care: Your care team at the Fetal and Neonatal Medicine Center at Rush may include a wide range of pediatric and adult specialists, including maternal-fetal medicine doctors, neonatalogists, pediatric specialists, women's health nurse practitioners, genetic counselors and social workers. These specialists will work with you and each other to create a personalized care plan for you and your baby, both before and after your baby is born.
- Prenatal genetic counselor: The Fetal and Neonatal Medicine Center at Rush has a dedicated prenatal genetic counselor who specializes in working with parents to discuss options and results of prenatal genetic screening and educating them about genetic conditions that are diagnosed in pregnancy.
- Care close to home: Maternal-fetal medicine doctors from Rush see patients at several convenient locations, including the Rush campus in Chicago and Rush Copley Medical Center in Aurora.
