What is Ex-Utero Intrapartum Treatment (EXIT procedure)?
The EXIT procedure is a specialized surgical delivery method used when a baby faces medical challenges that doctors believe will pose issues immediately after birth. The goal of the EXIT procedure is to give the care team additional time to stabilize the baby’s condition before disconnecting from the placenta.
What to expect during an EXIT procedure
At Boston Children’s Hospital, we perform EXIT procedures in an operating room equipped for both complex fetal surgery and immediate newborn care. During the procedure, your baby will be partially delivered but remain connected to the placenta, allowing our surgical team to carefully assess and stabilize them. Depending on your baby’s condition, this may include placing a breathing tube, performing a tracheostomy, or removing an obstruction. Once your baby’s condition is stabilized, the remainder of the delivery is completed, clamp the umbilical cord, and complete the surgery. We then transition your baby to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for close monitoring and continued care.
Treating Isaac’s teratoma through an EXIT procedure
An EXIT procedure during his delivery helped Isaac conquer a teratoma. Learn how Boston Children's Maternal Fetal Care Center made it happen.
Our approach to EXIT procedures
At Boston Children’s, our team includes experts in:
- Fetal surgery
- Maternal-fetal medicine
- Maternal and fetal anesthesiology
- Newborn medicine (neonatology)
- Pediatric general surgery and subspecialties
We work closely with you and your existing care team to create personalized plans that prioritize safety, comfort, and optimal long-term outcomes, from diagnosis to delivery and beyond.
