Welcoming a new baby into the world is a very exciting, life-changing event. But when your baby is born with a complex, congenital condition, it also can be a frightening time.
The Fetal Care Center is for mothers whose babies have been identified as high risk for serious birth defects or health conditions that may need advanced care soon after delivery.
The Fetal Care Center at Children’s Nebraska will work closely with you before, during, and after delivery to provide a coordinated plan of care and help ensure the best outcome for you and your baby.
Make An Appointment
Your obstetrician will refer you to the Fetal Care Center. For more information, contact Samantha Wullschleger at 402-955-3030.
What Sets Children’s Apart?
Our Fetal Care Center is here to make sure your newborn has the best possible start. Our care team is made up of highly skilled specialists who work closely together planning and preparing for complex deliveries to ensure the best outcome for your baby.
These experienced professionals include:
- Neonatologists, who specialize in newborns with health conditions
- Pediatric surgeons, who specialize in doing surgery on newborns
- Cardiologists, who specialize in managing heart conditions for newborns and infants
- Cardiothoracic surgeons, who specialize in doing heart surgery on newborns and infants
- Anesthesiologists, who specialize in knowing exactly how much sedation is safe for newborns
Services We Offer
If your obstetrician has a health concern about your baby, you can be referred to the Fetal Care Center. Your OB/GYN can remain your primary doctor throughout your pregnancy. Our Fetal Care Coordinator will work closely with you and your doctor throughout the entire process to ensure communication and coordination between your doctor and our specialists.
After you have received a full evaluation and diagnostic testing, our team will partner with you to develop a treatment plan that best fits your baby’s unique needs. The plan that you and our care team determine will then be shared with your primary obstetrician.
Our Fetal Care Center offers a full spectrum of the most advanced diagnostic and treatment options for your baby, including:
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Prenatal Fetal Consultation
If your baby has been identified as having a serious illness, injury, or birth defect before birth, our fetal care specialists will consult with you to provide a thorough evaluation and fetal diagnostic testing.After the evaluation, you will have the opportunity to meet with neonatologists and other appropriate support service providers to discuss your baby’s condition and test results, address your concerns, and provide recommendations.
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Prenatal Fetal Diagnostics
Early diagnosis and planning can provide the best possible outcomes for you and your baby. To ensure you receive the most appropriate care and treatment, our experienced pediatric staff will conduct comprehensive prenatal diagnostic testing and evaluation.Our Radiology team is skilled in performing and reading diagnostic tests specific to the needs of expectant moms and newborns.
Some of the more commonly used diagnostic tools that may be required before, during or after delivery include:
- Fetal echocardiography
- Fetal MRI
- Placenta MRI
- Heart Studies
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Fetal Heart Studies
Children’s Fetal Heart Clinic offers advanced cardiac imaging and consultations with parents-to-be in order to provide an accurate and early congenital heart defect (CHD) diagnosis. This allows expectant parents to prepare for their child’s treatment before birth.We are ready and equipped with sophisticated imaging, compassionate consultative services, and an experienced team to diagnose and treat the most challenging congenital heart diseases.
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Postnatal NICU Care
Children’s NICU has a Level IV regional designation, which means we can provide the highest level of care as recognized by the American Academy of Pediatrics. It is the only Level IV unit in the state with immediate, on-site access to complex open-heart procedures and surgical interventions with board-certified pediatric surgeons.Our state-of-the-art NICU includes specialized pediatric equipment, a cardiac catheterization lab, and an ECMO team trained to operate heart and lung bypass equipment.
If your baby needs immediate surgery, our pediatric surgeons, neonatal and pediatric heart surgeons, and pediatric anesthesiologists are among the most experienced in the region.
They will also work closely with our other pediatric specialists and surgeons to provide a coordinated plan of care and will keep you up-to-date on your baby’s progress throughout your baby’s care.
Thanks to advances in fetal and neonatal care, premature babies are surviving and thriving more than ever before.
What To Do Next
For Patients
Your obstetrician will refer you to the Fetal Care Center. For more information, contact Samantha Wullschleger at 402-955-3030.
For Referring Providers
The Physicians’ Priority Line is your 24-hour link to pediatric specialists at Children’s for emergency and urgent consults, physician-to-physician consults, admissions, and transport services. Call 855-850-KIDS (5437).