The Fetal Cardiology Program, which includes specialists from the Heart Center and The Chicago Institute for Fetal Health, ensures that families expecting a new baby with heart concerns receive the best diagnostic and counseling care available.
Our fetal heart program provides specialized ultrasound imaging of the fetal heart during pregnancy (fetal echocardiography). Each year, our pediatric cardiologists perform more than 3,000 fetal echocardiograms at multiple sites in the greater Chicago area, with a diagnostic accuracy that exceeds 95%. The pediatric cardiologist is able to provide immediate results and counseling at the time of the scan.
Our partnership with Prentice Women's Hospital allows Lurie Children’s to offer comprehensive heart care for expectant mothers’ babies, as well as their newborn infants. Prentice is connected to Lurie Children's by a bridged walkway, enabling rapid intervention by our cardiology team in cases of complex heart disease. It also provides seamless transition of the newborn’s care to the state-of-the-art Regenstein Cardiac Care Unit at Lurie Children’s.
Our cardiac surgical team at Lurie Children’s is supported by neonatologists, dedicated cardiac anesthesiologists and our team of cardiac intensivists and dedicated cardiac nurses. We participate in the Society of Thoracic Surgeons database, and our surgical outcomes are in the top 5% of 111 participating programs in the United States and Canada.
Our Fetal Cardiac Nurse Coordinator ensures that families have access to the cardiac team throughout the pregnancy, and the support and resoures needed. To contact our team, please email fetalhealth@luriechildrens.org.
Why Choose Lurie Children's?
The Heart Center at Lurie Children’s offer services that are not widely available elsewhere, including:
- The Regenstein Cardiac Care Unit with 44 beds and the most advanced medical technology possible, including mechanical heart/lung support.
- Connection by bridge to Prentice, letting mothers be close to their babies being cared for at Lurie Children’s.
- In house 24/7 attending cardiac intensivists and interventionalists
- Access to the full range of pediatric medical specialties and top-rated pediatric heart surgeons.
- Use of the latest imaging equipment and advanced technologies for accurate cardiac evaluations.
- Specialty programs offering a spectrum of care for patients throughout their lifespans — from before birth, through childhood and into adulthood — including the NICU-Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Program, Single Ventricle Center of Excellence, Tele-Interstage Home Monitoring Program, HeArT (High Acuity Transition) Program and Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program.
- Family-centered care with the help of an interdisciplinary team of social workers, chaplains, child life specialists and creative arts therapists who provide support of the whole family.
Nationally-Ranked Care
Lurie Children's is ranked 24th in the nation for child cardiology and heart surgery by U.S.News & World Report.
Fetal Heart Conditions We Treat
Our fetal heart care team evaluates fetuses of mothers with health conditions such as diabetes, lupus and Sjögren syndrome, which can affect heart development. We also treat a wide range of fetal and neonatal cardiac conditions, including:
- Aortic stenosis
- Atrial septal defect
- Atrioventricular canal
- Cardiomyopathy
- Coarctation of the aorta
- Ebstein's anomaly
- Fetal cardiac arrhythmia
- Hypoplastic left heart syndrome
- Mitral valve prolapse
- Pulmonary stenosis
- Single ventricle
- Tetralogy of Fallot
- Total anomalous pulmonary venous connection
- Transposition of the great arteries
- Tricuspid atresia
- Truncus arteriosus
- Vascular rings / tracheal stenosis (tracheal rings)
- Ventricular septal defect
What to Expect at Your Fetal Cardiology Appointment
At your first appointment, you can expect to receive a fetal echocardiogram. A pediatric cardiologist will perform this heart ultrasound and will discuss the findings and treatment options with you immediately after the scan. The pediatric cardiologist also will discuss the test results with your obstetrician and coordinate any needed treatment.
Comprehensive Fetal Care Consultations
If an abnormality is identified on prenatal screening, a comprehensive fetal care consultation to discuss anticipated surgery or other care after birth can be arranged at Lurie Children's through The Chicago Institute for Fetal Health. This consultation will be arranged with the cardiac specialists who will be involved in your child’s care after birth. In addition to a cardiologist, this team may include a cardiac surgeon, cardiac critical care specialist and neonatologist. The specialists will discuss and coordinate the best treatment plan for your baby after birth, and may review anticipated procedures, expected length of stay and anticipated surgical results. Our specialty programs offer a multi-disciplinary team of specialists committed to the best outcomes. For an example of what this care journey could include, please refer to the Comprehensive Single Ventricle Fetal Roadmap.
Our Fetal Cardiology Specialists
Pediatric Cardiologists
All are board-certified pediatric cardiologists with extensive experience in fetal and neonatal imaging and care.
Sheetal R. Patel, MD, MSCI
Michael R. Carr, MD
Clinical Practice Director and Attending Physician, Cardiology; Program Director, Cardiology Fellowship Program
Kelly L. Cox, MD
Attending Physician, Cardiology
Nina L. Gotteiner, MD
Attending Physician, Cardiology
Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Nazia Husain, MBBS, MPH
Medical Director, Clinical and Translational Cardiac MRI/CT; Attending Physician, Cardiology
Amy S. Lay, MD
Director, Non-Critical Care Inpatient Cardiology; Associate Medical Director, Regenstein Cardiac Care Unit; Attending Physician, Cardiology
Bethan A. Lemley, MD, MSCE
Attending Physician, Cardiology
Sheena A. Mansukhani, DO
Attending Physician, Cardiology
Angira Patel, MD, MPH
Attending Physician, Cardiology; Associate Chair, Faculty Development; Director, Advanced Cardiac Non-Invasive Imaging Fellowship
Stefani Samples, MD, MS
Attending Physician, Cardiology
Michael B. Satzer, MD
Attending Physician, Cardiology
Joyce L. Woo, MD, MS
Attending Physician, Cardiology
Kathleen (Katie) Jones, BSN, RN
Fetal Cardiology Nurse Coordinator
Robin Norwood, BSN, RN
Fetal Cardiology Nurse Coordinator
Pediatric Heart Surgeons
David S. Winlaw, MD, FRACS
Division Head, Cardiovascular-Thoracic Surgery; Co-Executive Director, Heart Center; Willis J. Potts, MD Founders’ Board Professorship in Surgery
Allison B. Davila, MD
Attending Surgeon, Cardiovascular-Thoracic Surgery
Michael C. Mongé, MD
Surgical Director, Heart Failure/Heart Transplant Program; Attending Physician, Cardiovascular-Thoracic Surgery; Member, Lurie Children's Surgical Foundation
Assistant Professor of Surgery (Cardiac Surgery), Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Regenstein Cardiac Care Unit Specialists
Kiona Y. Allen, MD
Attending Physician, Cardiology; Interim Medical Director, Regenstein Cardiac Care Unit; Medical Director, Single Ventricle Center of Excellence; Co-Director, NICU-Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Program
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Cardiology), Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Erin Bressler, MD
Cardiac Intensivist, Cardiology
Catherine Collins, MD
Cardiac Intensivist, Cardiology
Conrad L. Epting, MD
Attending Physician, Critical Care
Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Mary E. McBride, MD, MEd
Attending Physician, Cardiology
Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Medical Education, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Karl Migally, MD
Cardiac Intensivist, Cardiology; Director, Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Fellowship Program
Amy O'Connor, DO, MSCI
Cardiac Intensivist, Cardiology
Eric L. Wald, MD, MSCI
Attending Physician, Critical Care
Neonatologist
Meghan A. Coghlan, MD
Attending Physician, Neonatology
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Neonatology), Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Fetal Health Team
Make an Appointment
In addition to in-person visits, we now offer telemedicine visits via video or phone. Some appointments will still require you to be seen in-person, but your physician and care team will let you know if a telemedicine appointment is available.
For Fetal Patients
To make an appointment with The Chicago Institute for Fetal Health or for a second opinion about in utero heart defects, please call 1.866.338.2524 (1.866.FETAL24) or email fetalhealth@luriechildrens.org.
For Physicians
For urgent consultations, MFMs or pediatric cardiologists can reach our specialists by calling 1.866.338.2524 (1.866.FETAL24) or emailing fetalhealth@luriechildrens.org.
For Infants/Children
For families or providers seeking a second opinion about treating infants and children with heart defects, we offer a Priority Second Opinion Clinic.
Our Locations
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
225 E. Chicago Ave.Chicago, Illinois 60611
312.227.4000
Prentice Women's Hospital at Northwestern Medicine
250 E. Superior StreetChicago, Illinois 60611
312.926.2000
Lurie Children's at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital Pediatric Outpatient Center
25 N. Winfield RoadEast Entrance
Winfield, Illinois 60190
630.933.6631
Lurie Children's Hospital Outpatient Center in Arlington Heights
Busse Center for Specialty Medicine880 W. Central Rd, Ste 6400
Arlington Heights, Illinois 60005
312.227.5410
Lurie Children's Hospital Outpatient Center in Lake Forest
Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital Campus900 N. Westmoreland, Suite 110 (Bays Medical Office Building, 1st Floor)*
Lake Forest, Illinois 60045
312.227.1010
Lurie Children's Hospital Outpatient Center in New Lenox
1870 N. Silver Cross Blvd. (formerly Clinton Street)Suite 100
New Lenox, Illinois 60451
312.227.3620
Lurie Children's Hospital Outpatient Center in Westchester
Surgical Treatment Center2301 Enterprise Drive
Westchester, Illinois 60154
312.227.7900
Lurie Children's Hospital Outpatient Center in Huntley
10350 Haligus RoadNorthwestern Medicine, Huntley Hospital Medical Office, Suite 110
Huntley, Illinois 60142
312.227.8500
Educational Resources for Parents
Breastfeeding
We work one-on-one with families to be able to safely provide breast milk for their babies – whether through direct breastfeeding, bottle feeding expressed breast milk or expressed milk through a feeding tube.
Learn more in our breastfeeding video series >
Telehealth Monitoring
Every patient who is diagnosed with single ventricle in infancy will be provided with additional telehealth support until their second surgery as part of the Interstage Home Monitoring Program.
Heart Center Family Resource Guide
To help prepare families for their care with our Heart Center, we have compiled a list of resources that may be of use throughout treatment — whether it's preparing for an inpatient stay or outpatient visit, or learning more about the support services available to patients and families.
Training & Education
Our team is dedicated to improving education for obstetricians and maternal fetal medicine specialists to increase prenatal detection of congenital heart defects.
Each year, we host Fetology Chicago: Practice & Discovery, an educational program focused on the multi-disciplinary approach to evaluation, care and intervention for a spectrum of congenital diseases.
Related News & Stories
Multi-Site Study Reveals Addressable Socioeconomic Barriers to Prenatal Diagnosis of Congenital Heart Defects
Little Hearts, Big Data, Improving Outcomes
Fetal Expert Care Begins Before Birth with Team of Specialists
Access to Fetal Cardiology Care in Diagnosing CHD a Priority for a Pediatric Cardiologist
Fetal Cardiac Program Pivots to Adapt to COVID-19 Environment
Additional Information about Congenital Heart Defects
You also can find helpful information about congenital heart defects by visiting the following websites:
- American Heart Association: Congenital Heart Defects
- CardioSmart (American College of Cardiology)
- Congenital Heart Information Network
- The Children’s Heart Foundation
- Congenital Heart Surgeons’ Society Data Center
- CTSNet Congenital Portal
- International Society for Heart & Lung Transplantation
- March of Dimes: Congenital Heart Defects
- Mend a Heart Foundation
- Mended Little Hearts
- National Institutes of Health: Health Information – Congenital Heart Disease
- Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Society
- PubMed Health: Congenital Heart Disease
- Saving tiny Hearts Society
- Society of Thoracic Surgeons