Fetal Heart Program
The Fetal Heart Program at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) is a national leader in the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of fetal heart disease, and is one of the few programs to offer early fetal cardiovascular imaging (EFCI). EFCI allows diagnosis of heart anomalies as early as 12 weeks of gestation, as opposed to typical diagnosis at 16 to 18 weeks of gestation.
Each year, the program performs more than 3,700 fetal echocardiograms, making the Fetal Heart Program one of the largest of its kind. Its state-of-the-art technology and facilities enhance the ability of cardiologists and sonographers to provide the best imaging and most accurate diagnoses to create a comprehensive plan for prenatal and postnatal treatment, including the rare instance of fetal heart intervention.
The Fetal Heart Program is unique in that expectant families are cared for by a dedicated multidisciplinary team. Our patients benefit from the expertise of the Cardiac Center’s pediatric cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, cardiac anesthesiologists, nurses and a social worker, all of whom often work hand in hand with the Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment and its maternal-fetal medicine specialists, genetic counselors, and other specialists throughout the Hospital.
