Fetal Cardiac Care Clinic
Pregnancy is usually a happy, exciting time. However, when you find out that your baby has a congenital heart condition before he or she is born, it can be overwhelming. Fortunately, most of these conditions can be successfully care for by the Fetal Cardiac Care Clinic’s expert team. The goal of the clinic is to offer education to parents-to-be regarding cardiac diagnosis, treatment and surgical options for their baby, accompanied by a safe birth plan and information on local support organizations. Our clinic is staffed by nationally known children’s heart experts who are affiliated with the University of Florida/Jacksonville and Wolfson Children’s Hospital. The multidisciplinary clinic, which is available two Fridays a month, brings all of the specialists together you need to plan for the care of your newborn with a congenital heart disease. This includes a UF pediatric cardiologist, pediatric electrophysiologist (for rhythm disorders), UF pediatric cardiovascular surgeon, and representatives from local support groups. The First Visit The parents-to-be will consult with a pediatric cardiologist specializing in fetal echocardiography, who will perform a baseline echocardiogram to produce an image of the baby’s heart. Our pediatric echocardiography program is accredited by the Intersocietal Commission for Accreditation of Echocardiography Laboratories in three modalities: pediatric transthoracic, pediatric transesophageal and fetal echocardiography. The echocardiogram will confirm the diagnosis of a congenital heart condition and will help guide the baby’s physicians and parents in making treatment decisions once the baby is born. Future Appointments Prior to the delivery of the baby, parents or other caregivers will have the opportunity to meet with the heart specialists involved with their baby’s care. As a patient- and family-centered facility, we welcome parents’ partnership with us as we decide the most effective treatment options, which can include watchful waiting, medication, cardiac catheterization or heart surgery. Also, parents will be able to meet with a registered nurse with the clinic, who will review insurance coverage or Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) funding. Appointments will be held every two to four weeks, as needed, and we will communicate with the mother-to-be’s physician throughout her pregnancy. Support for Parents and Caregivers At the second visit to the Fetal Cardiac Care Clinic, and thereafter, parents will be able to meet with representatives of local support groups such as Mended Little Hearts, a nationwide organization for parents, caregivers and families of children with heart defects/heart disease. If the baby has been diagnosed with Down syndrome, parents and caregivers may also want to meet with the Down Syndrome Association of Jacksonville. The organization encourages and supports families by offering programs and services and advocating for people with Down syndrome. In addition, a chaplain affiliated with the Children’s Heart Center at Wolfson is available to meet with the family, if desired. Clinic Location 841 Prudential Drive, Suite 100
Jacksonville, FL 32207
Monday – Friday, 8 am – 4:30 pm
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More Information |
| Call us at 904.633.4116. We accept most insurance plans, as well as CMS, and will file patient claims. |
