The Penn State Health approach to fetal heart care

Welcoming a baby is an exciting journey, but when questions arise about your baby’s heart during pregnancy, having access to a skilled and compassionate fetal cardiology team can make all the difference. At Penn State Health Congenital Heart Center, we provide advanced imaging, clear explanations and supportive guidance, so you feel confident in making decisions for your growing family.

Why choose Penn State Health for fetal heart monitoring and care?

Expert fetal heart care starts before your baby is born, helping ensure the best possible outcomes for both you and your baby. At the Congenital Heart Center, we care for patients with congenital heart disease from before birth through adulthood, all in one location. For expectant mothers with adult congenital heart disease (ACHD), having exams, testing and specialized care in one location means less time traveling between appointments and more time focusing on your health and your growing baby.

When is a fetal heart care program needed?

Your OB-GYN may recommend a detailed assessment of your baby’s heart if they have any concerns. This can happen if something unusual is seen on an ultrasound, if genetic testing shows an abnormal result or if there is a family history of certain heart or genetic conditions.

Once referred, your visit will begin with a fetal echocardiogram, which is a detailed ultrasound that shows how your baby’s heart is built and how it’s working. Right after the scan, one of our fetal cardiologists will meet with you to explain the results and answer your questions. Most visits, including imaging and counseling, last about one hour.

Depending on what you and your baby need, you may meet with other specialists who work closely with our Fetal Heart Care Program to ensure you and your baby receive coordinated, comprehensive care.

Family-centered care for complex maternal and fetal diagnoses

If a heart condition is found, our fetal cardiology team works closely with the Complex Fetal Care Center at Golisano Children’s Hospital at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center to support you for the rest of your pregnancy. The Complex Fetal Care Center brings together experts in maternal fetal medicine, cardiology, pediatric heart surgery, neonatology and other specialties to create a personalized care plan for your baby, even before birth.

Our dedicated nurse coordinators help families schedule appropriate care and are available for questions at any time. During the pregnancy, the Complex Fetal Care Center also arranges visits with the pediatric specialists who will care for your baby after delivery, so you can learn what to expect and feel as prepared as possible.

Our Cardio-Obstetrics team supports safe pregnancies

If you’re pregnant and have a history of heart disease, our Cardio-Obstetrics Program is here to support and protect your health throughout pregnancy. With experts in Adult Congenital Heart Disease and Maternal Fetal Medicine working together, you’ll receive coordinated, specialized care tailored to your unique needs.

Specialized congenital and pediatric heart surgery

Our Congenital Heart Surgery Program has a team of three highly trained pediatric heart surgeons who care for patients with congenital heart disease – from newborns to adults. They perform surgery for all types of heart defects and are trained to care for even the most complex conditions. In addition, our outcomes for newborn heart surgery consistently rank above the national average, according to data from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons National Congenital Heart Surgery Database.

Expert pediatric cardiology care after birth

Our Pediatric Cardiology team will care for your baby during their hospital stay and after you go home. If your baby needs follow-up visits, we offer convenient locations across central Pennsylvania, all staffed by dedicated pediatric heart specialists. Each office provides on-site testing, including echocardiograms, electrocardiograms (EKGs) and 24-hour Holter monitors, making it possible to get the care your baby needs in one place. If you ever have questions or concerns, our team in Hershey is available 24/7.

Conditions Treated

Penn State Health Golisano Children’s Hospital's Fetal Cardiology Program provides care for:

• Aortic stenosis
• Atrial septal defect
• Atrioventricular canal defects
• Coarctation of the aorta
• Double outlet right ventricle 
• Double inlet left ventricle
• Ebstein’s anomaly of the tricuspid valve
• Heart block
• Heterotaxy syndrome (isomerism)
• Hypoplastic left heart syndrome
• Interrupted aortic arch
• Pulmonary atresia
• Pulmonary valve stenosis
• Single ventricle heart defects
• Supraventricular tachycardia and other fetal arrhythmias
• Tetralogy of Fallot 
• Total anomalous pulmonary venous return
• Transposition of the great arteries
• Tricuspid atresia
• Truncus arteriosus
• Ventricular septal defect 

Our convenient locations