Fetal Cardiac Evaluation
Fetal diagnosis of congenital heart disease requires expertise and experience. Dr. Ruben Acherman recently joined us from the faculty of The Children's Hospital Los Angeles where he was the Director of Fetal Cardiology for eight years. Since joining Children's Heart Center, he has expanded the program in fetal assessment by working closely with the community's perinatologists to develop a large and complete diagnostic and treatment program.

In order to coordinate the best in maternal and fetal care, we perform all fetal echocardiographic evaluations and follow-up studies in the perinatologists' offices; as the perinatologist is the physician caring for both mother and fetus.

Early fetal diagnosis results in better preparation for parents and physicians caring for newborns with complex congenital heart disease. A unique feature of the fetal program is organized tours of the neonatal intensive care units for expectant families to familiarize them with the environment.

Under the direction of Dr. Acherman, the fetal cardiac program is growing rapidly. Diagnoses have ranged from hypoplastic left heart to fetal dysrhythmias and outcomes have been excellent.