Fetal heart carePartnering for early diagnosis and treatment

If you learn that your baby might be born with a heart defect, our fetal cardiology team can guide you every step of the way, from diagnosis through the baby’s delivery and treatment for your baby’s heart.

The UW Health Kids Heart Program offers specialized clinics and programs to treat children of all ages with heart defects from birth through their toddler and teenage years. You can be confident in the care your child will receive. As your child approaches adulthood, we’ll also help with the important step of transitioning care to an adult heart specialist. National organizations rank our program among the best in the country. And our outcomes show that our patients do better than others when compared to others across the nation.

Our fetal cardiology coordinator is a constant and familiar resource to help guide you through the stages of you and your baby’s care. As a support and an advocate if needed, she will help you understand your baby’s diagnosis, navigate appointments and connect you with resources during your pregnancy, child’s birth and care in the first year.

Fetal echocardiogram

Problems with a fetus’ heart are diagnosed through a fetal echocardiogram. Our team includes three dedicated fetal cardiologists. They have high-level training in diagnosing complex fetal heart issues and evaluating and managing irregular heart rhythms and other abnormal conditions. Together they review more than 1,000 fetal echocardiograms a year from patients and hospitals in Wisconsin. Accurate diagnosis is key to helping you understand the condition and how it can be treated, providing additional services and working with you on a birth plan for your baby.

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    When Houston's slow heart rhythm was identified before he was born, fetal heart specialists worked with pediatric electrophysiologists and surgeons to be prepared to provide any procedures or care he needed immediately after he was born. This careful planning provided reassurance that any issues with Houston's heart would be addressed and give him the best possible start to life.
    Before Abraham was born, his parents learned that he would need surgery shortly after birth to survive. As they looked at experts to care for both Abraham and his mom, the UW Health Kids heart team and the resources at American Family Children's Hospital stood out. The team's experience and approach to family-centered care instilled confidence in them--both for Abraham's birth and his heart care that would follow.
    Elliot's parents had a lot to manage when they knew they were expecting triplets. Then they found out Elliot had a condition called transposition VSD and would need major heart surgery shortly after birth. Our specialists helped them develop a plan of care for the triplets’ births, Elliot’s care until surgery and going home to have all the brothers together.
    Michael was born with a rare heart condition that his doctors detected before he was born. When he was just 3 months old, he had heart surgery at American Family Children’s Hospital.