The Center for Fetal and Neonatal Care at Phoenix Children’s cares for thousands of families before the birth of their babies. This work allows us to enhance diagnostic accuracy and track and improve outcomes after the baby is born.
Our researchers collaborate nationally to follow patients with congenital anomalies, which is crucial given the rarity of many conditions we treat. This enables us to deliver services at the forefront of congenital diagnosis and treatment, translating into lifesaving care for our patients.
Neonatal Research
Researchers in the Center for Fetal and Neonatal Care are committed to improving care for infants with complex diagnoses. From developing novel treatment strategies to leveraging advanced imaging technologies, we are dedicated to improving mother, fetal and infant outcomes.
Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) Research
Through our CDH research, our teams developed an early stabilization pathway that allows for gentle ventilation and a stepwise approach during the first few hours of a baby’s life. The approach, consistent across all providers, has significantly improved survival rates, surpassing national averages. Our hospital serves as a high-volume center for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), and we study long-term outcomes in our CDH follow-up clinic.
Fetal Imaging Research
Phoenix Children’s experts collaborate with fetal medicine colleagues throughout the region to offer advanced fetal imaging tailored to concerns identified during screening ultrasounds or noninvasive prenatal testing.
Techniques include fetal MRI, 3D ultrasound and low-dose CT, which is especially helpful in diagnosing skeletal dysplasia. Our pediatric-trained imaging team specializes in these modalities. Fetal MRI contributes to the anatomical evaluation of heart disease in babies, another area in which collaboration across specialties is key.
We provide real-time information to families through direct consultation with hospital specialists, enabling immediate interpretation and customization of imaging results. Neonatologists provide timely insights into the significant findings.
National Registries
In addition to national CDH research, the Center for Fetal and Neonatal Care participates in national registries. This allows us to pool data and resources with other fetal and neonatal research centers to gain new insight into rare diseases and new treatment approaches.
Other collaborations include the Disorders of Sex Development-Translational Research Network (DSD-TRN). This work aims to improve the long-term health of patients born with conditions affecting the reproductive tract. We also participate in multicenter efforts to evaluate a wide range of rare diseases.
Our physicians participate in the PCPLC to track the outcomes of babies born with anorectal malformation and Hirschsprung disease.
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a chronic lung disease that develops following NICU care for respiratory distress in premature infants. The BPD Collaborative is an international consortium of care centers committed to the interdisciplinary treatment of infants with BPD. As part of the BPD Collaborative, our physicians help identify best practices in BPD care, focusing on optimizing infant growth.
Additional Research
Other areas of congenital medicine research include:
- Use of telehealth in palliative care and prenatal counseling
- Treatment algorithm for babies with congenital heart disease and intestinal rotation abnormalities
- Shared decision-making pathways for infants born with pelvic anatomy differences
- Medical and surgical strategies for the care of babies with congenital adrenal hyperplasia
- Evaluation of the timing of surgical treatment for newborns with Hirschsprung disease
- Early feeding protocol for babies born with anorectal malformation with perineal fistula
- Neuroimaging in fetal inflammatory conditions
- Prenatal evaluation of hereditary conditions, such as retinoblastoma, that allows for early treatment
Find a Research Study
Patients and families can use the Find a Research Study tool or speak with their child’s doctor to learn about enrollment in current and upcoming clinical research studies at Phoenix Children’s.