Since July 2018, we have been caring for our pregnant patients at the University Medical Center Mannheim, where we perform prenatal procedures and provide medical treatment. Our patients come to us from all over Germany, either referred by their local doctors or on their own initiative—and increasingly from abroad as well.
When a serious illness is diagnosed in an unborn child, the parents need a competent contact person quickly, not only because many questions arise immediately. In almost all cases, the health condition of the patient, their baby, means that urgent action is required. Appointments for outpatient consultations or inpatient admission are therefore made at short notice.
Referring colleagues or pregnant women can contact the DZFT at any time by email or by calling +49 (175) 597-1213. Emergency admissions during and outside office hours, on weekends, and on holidays are always possible via the delivery room (0621/383-2290).
From Monday to Friday, our patients first present themselves at the prenatal diagnostics department.
After a detailed ultrasound scan to detect malformations, the pregnant woman is given comprehensive information about her child’s condition and prognosis, as well as advice on the postnatal course and the regular follow-up treatment measures by colleagues from other specialist departments. If the relevant conditions are met, we then present the parents with the treatment options we offer.
In addition, they have the opportunity to consult with the pediatricians who work with us. They explain the possible further course of action and the expected condition of their child to the parents-to-be.
Our goal is to always provide you, as the parents of a sick child, with both: the usual procedure for postnatal treatment of your child in your case and the options available to your child for prenatal therapy—as well as the corresponding risks of complications for mother and child.
Of course, our further consultations also include examinations in accordance with the German Genetic Diagnosis Act, psychosocial counseling, and possibly the performance of a termination of pregnancy. As a matter of principle, we endeavor to give you as much time as possible to consider your options.
Fetal surgery patients are cared for in close cooperation with the University Women’s Hospital and its staff. In order to guarantee you the best possible care, our cooperation is based on standardized management plans.
Birth and postnatal care of children after fetal surgery
After prenatal treatment, postnatal care for our little patients can be continued directly at the UMM, which has a renowned neonatology department. If your child’s condition requires more extensive, specialized care, a large number of other specialists (pediatric surgeons, neurosurgeons, etc.) are available.
After your inpatient stay with us, we will assist you in planning and carrying out the necessary medical follow-up examinations.