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There are many details and expectations to consider about fetal cardiology treatment. That’s why the team at Boston Children’s Fetal Cardiology Program put together this webpage. Here, we review travel information, the coordination of a potential high-risk delivery, when you need to relocate to the Boston area, what you should bring, what the CICU looks like, how we promote infant development, how we support your lactation needs, and how we work together to support your family. Please make the most of these patient resources and contact us if you have questions.
A benefit of a prenatal diagnosis of a serious congenital heart defect is the opportunity to choose where to deliver and have your baby’s newborn heart surgery. Once you receive a prenatal diagnosis of a serious congenital heart defect, you should be cared for by a high-risk obstetrician (also called a maternal-fetal medicine, or MFM, doctor).
After birth, your baby may need specialized pediatric cardiology care at Boston Children’s Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU). For this reason, we recommend you deliver at an obstetric hospital close to Boston Children’s, so our team can be involved in coordination and smooth the process of your transfer to our CICU. For most types of fetal CHD, a mother can give birth vaginally at around 39 weeks’ gestation. Your high-risk OB will discuss the appropriate timing and mode of delivery. You should be cared for by your local obstetrician until you have your first clinic visit with your Boston MFM doctor and have a plan for care. Do not cancel your local obstetric appointments. Your local obstetrician and Boston MFM doctor may decide to share your care so that you do not have to travel to Boston for all of your appointments.
If you are traveling a long distance for delivery, we suggest relocating to Boston when you are about 36 weeks pregnant. Your high-risk obstetrician will make a delivery plan based upon your individual health and family needs. For many heart conditions, it is best to plan on being in Boston for about one month after delivery. Sometimes, you might have to stay longer.
Hospital family housing options book up quickly. Please make reservations as early in your pregnancy as possible. You can make housing reservations in person at the Hale Family Center for Families (located in lobby), or by calling 617-919-3450.
The comforts of home can feel far away when a family is staying in the hospital. This list of recommended items was created in collaboration with patient families.
There might be no place like home, but we want expecting parents to also feel at home at our Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU). See what the CICU looks like and how it functions so that you can feel comfortable and know what to expect when you stay.
After your baby is born, they will be transferred to the CICU. Learning about the CICU journey in advance can help you feel more comfortable and informed about what to expect. Download CICU guidelines.
A look inside our Cardiac Intensive Care Unit. This video provides a detailed overview of the unit, including the physical layout, the staff, and machines that will help your baby recover.
We strive to support your baby's developmental progress by monitoring, detecting, and treating concerns as early as possible. Here are programs at Boston Children’s that support a young child’s development:
Children born with CHDs are at risk of developmental challenges, but appropriate care can help them to live their best lives. This resource will help you navigate the developmental journey of your child’s diagnosis: to understand challenges, to find opportunities, and to meet needs.
If you planned to breastfeed your baby before you learned the fetal cardiac diagnosis, this plan does not need to change. If you were uncertain about your feeding choice, you can speak with lactation consultant about the extra benefits your milk can provide for your baby because of their additional medical needs. Breast milk provides many health benefits to a newborn baby and can help fight infection. It is an important part of a newborn’s healthcare, and only you can provide it. Even if your baby cannot eat right away, you can express your milk with a breast pump to save for later use. If you are interested in breast feeding or bottle feeding your baby pumped breast milk, we encourage you to meet with our lactation specialists prior to and after delivery.
We recognize that breastfeeding is important to families and the health of children. Lactation specialists work as part of the healthcare team to promote and support breastfeeding. Even if you haven’t yet delivered, it’s not too early to know how you can be supported.
Our child life specialists can help you prepare your other children for their new sibling and their heart condition. If you would like to speak with a child life specialist before giving birth, please reach out to Child Life Services at 617-355-6551, or email child.life@childrens.harvard.edu.
