Publications

Below are publications about NAFTNet and scientific publications that reflect multicenter research performed under the auspices of NAFTNet.
For the full (copyrighted) text of these publications, please consult your scientific library or access them on-line through the respective publishers.

Click on the title to read the abstract. The list below is organized by the most recent publication being towards the top of the page.

Neonatal Survival After Serial Amnioinfusions for Bilateral Renal Agenesis

The Tiniest Patients: Operating Inside the Womb

Maternal-fetal surgeons can already remove deadly tumors, unblock clogged aortas, and treat spinal abnormalities in utero. What’s coming next may be even more dramatic.Click the title above to read the article.

Care Levels for Fetal Therapy Centers

Baschat AA, Blackwell SB, Chatterjee D, Cummings JJ, Emery SP, Hirose S, Hollier LM, Johnson A, Kilpatrick SJ, Luks FI, Menard MK, McCullough LB, Moldenhauer JS, Moon-Grady AJ, Mychaliska GB, Narvey M, Norton ME, Rollins MD, Skarsgard ED, Tsao K, Warner BB, Wilpers A, Ryan G.Obstet Gynecol. 2022 Jun 1;139(6):1027-1042.

Current Status of Subspecialization in Pediatric Surgery: A Focus on Fetal Surgery

Lopyan NM, Perrone EE, Gadepalli SK, Raval MV, Tsao K, Rich BS; American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Surgery Delivery of Surgical Care Committee.J Pediatr Surg. 2022 Apr;57(4):610-615.

Interventions to Prevent preterm delivery in women with short cervix before fetoscopic laser surgery for twin-twin transfusion syndrome

Buskmiller C, Bergh EP, Brock C, Miller J, Baschat A, Galan H, Behrendt N, Habli M, Peiro JL, Snowise S, Fisher J, Macpherson C, Thom E, Pedroza C, Johnson A, Blackwell S, Papanna R.Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2022 Feb;59(2):169-176

Survey of intrauterine red blood cell (RBC) transfusion practices in the United States

Bakhtary S, Panchalee T, Crowe EP, Schwab ME, Zakieh A, Josephson CD, Sobhani NC, Gonzalez-Velez JM, Goel R.Transfusion. 2022 Oct 4.

Placental Location in Maternal-Fetal Surgery for Myelomeningocele

Lillegard JB, Eyerly-Webb SA, Watson DA, Bahtiyar MO, Bennett KA, Emery SP, Fisher AJ, Goldstein RB, Goodnight WH, Lim FY, McCullough LB, Moehrlen U, Moldenhauer JS, Moon-Grady AJ, Ruano R, Skupski DW, Treadwell MC, Tsao K, Wagner AJ, Zaretsky MV; fMMC Consortium Sponsored by NAFTnet.Fetal Diagn Ther. 2022;49(3):117-124

Current Status of the Workforce and Training at Fetal Therapy Centers in the North America

Moise KJ, Vlastos EJ, Papanna R, Chmait RH, Baschat AA, Lim FY; North American Fetal Treatment Network (NAFTNet).Fetal Diagn Ther. 2022 Aug 30.

Design and Protocol of the Renal Anhydramnios Fetal Therapy (RAFT) Trial

Atkinson MA, Jelin EB, Baschat A, Blumenfeld YJ, Chmait RH, O'Hare E, Moldenhauer JS, Zaretsky MV, Miller RS, Ruano R, Gonzalez JM, Johnson A, Mould WA, Davis JM, Hanley DF, Keiser AM, Rosner M, Miller JL.Clin Ther. 2022 Aug;44(8):1161-1171

NAFTNet retrospective report on the treatment of anti-Ro/SSA mediated fetal heart block with dexamethasone

Sunderji S, Peyvandi S, Jaeggi E, Szwast A, Ryan G, Tessier F, Siddiqui S, Cuneo B, Sheth S, Treadwell M, Frommelt M, Turan S, Copel J, Emery S, Rand L, Moon-Grady AJ; North American Fetal Therapy Network (NAFTNet).J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2022 Jan 11:1-8.

Interrater agreement for sonographic stomach position classification in fetal diaphragmatic hernia across the North American Fetal Therapy Network

Abbasi N, Ryan G, Ruano R, Sanz Cortes M, Ye XY, Shah PS, Filly R, Benachi A, Johnson A; NAFTNet.Prenat Diagn. 2022 Mar;42(3):348-356.

Anesthesia for Maternal-Fetal Interventions: A Consensus Statement From the American Society of Anesthesiologists Committees on Obstetric and Pediatric Anesthesiology and the North American Fetal Therapy Network

Chatterjee D, Arendt KW, Moldenhauer JS, Olutoye OA, Parikh JM, Tran KM, Zaretsky MV, Zhou J, Rollins MD.Anesth Analg. 2021 Apr 1;132(4):1164-1173

Modified Delphi Study on Nursing Practice and Science in Fetal Care

Wilpers A, Bahtiyar MO, Wall D, Kobler K, Sadler LS, Dixon JK, Kennedy HP.J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 2021 Jan;50(1):55-67

Obstetrician patterns of steroid administration for the prenatal management of congenital pulmonary airway malformations

Aziz KB, Jelin AC, Keiser AM, Schulkin J, Jelin EB.J Neonatal Perinatal Med. 2021;14(2):213-222.

Anesthesia for Maternal-Fetal Interventions: A Survey of Fetal Therapy Centers in the North American Fetal Therapy Network

Wood CL, Zuk J, Rollins MD, Silveira LJ, Feiner JR, Zaretsky M, Chatterjee D.Fetal Diagn Ther. 2021;48(5):361-371.

Prenatal assessment of congenital diaphragmatic hernia at north american fetal therapy network centers: A continued plea for standardization

Perrone EE, Abbasi N, Cortes MS, Umar U, Ryan G, Johnson A, Ladino-Torres M, Ruano R; North American Fetal Therapy Network (NAFTNet).Prenat Diagn. 2021 Jan;41(2):200-206.

Variability in antenatal prognostication of fetal diaphragmatic hernia across the North American Fetal Therapy Network (NAFTNet)

Abbasi N, Cortes MS, Ruano R, Johnson A, Morgan T, Coleman B, Baschat A, Zaretsky M, Lim FY, Bulas D, Benachi A, Ryan G; NAFTNet*.Prenat Diagn. 2020 Feb;40(3):342-350.

Fetal interventions in the setting of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: statement from the North American Fetal Therapy Network

Bahtiyar MO, Baschat A, Deprest J, Emery S, Goodnight WH, Johnson A, McCullough L, Moldenhauer JS, Ryan G, Tsao K, Van Mieghem T, Wagner A, Zaretsky M.Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2020 Aug;223(2):281-284.

Subsequent pregnancy outcomes after open maternal-fetal surgery for myelomeningocele

Goodnight WH, Bahtiyar O, Bennett KA, Emery SP, Lillegard JB, Fisher A, Goldstein R, Jatres J, Lim FY, McCullough L, Moehrlen U, Moldenhauer JS, Moon-Grady AJ, Ruano R, Skupski DW, Thom E, Treadwell MC, Tsao K, Wagner AJ, Waqar LN, Zaretsky M; fMMC Consortium sponsored by NAFTNet.Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2019 May;220(5)

North American Fetal Therapy Network: Timing of and indications for delivery following laser ablation for twin-twin transfusion syndrome

Zaretsky MV, Tong S, Lagueux M, Lim FY, Khalek N, Emery SP, Davis S, Moon-Grady AJ, Drennan K, Treadwell MC, Petersen E, Santiago-Munoz P, Brown R; North American Fetal Therapy Network.Am J Obstet Gynecol MFM. 2019 Mar;1(1):74-81.

National Practice Patterns for Prenatal Monitoring in Gastroschisis: Gastroschisis Outcomes of Delivery (GOOD) Provider Survey

Amin R, Domack A, Bartoletti J, Peterson E, Rink B, Bruggink J, Christensen M, Johnson A, Polzin W, Wagner AJ.Fetal Diagn Ther. 2019;45(2):125-130.

Reproducibility of fetal lung-to-head ratio in left diaphragmatic hernia across the North American Fetal Therapy Network (NAFTNet)

Abbasi N, Ryan G, Johnson A, Cortes MS, Sangi-Haghpeykar H, Ye XY, Shah PS, Benachi A, Saada J, Ruano R; NAFTNet*.Prenat Diagn. 2019 Feb;39(3):188-194.

National Practice Patterns for Prenatal Monitoring in Gastroschisis: Gastroschisis Outcomes of Delivery (GOOD) Provider Survey.

Amin R, Domack A, Bartoletti J, Peterson E, Rink B, Bruggink J, Christensen M, Johnson A, Polzin W, Wagner AJ.
Fetal Diagn Ther.2018 May 23:1-6.

Natural History of Fetal Lower Urinary Tract Obstruction with Normal Amniotic Fluid Volume at Initial Diagnosis

Johnson MP, Danzer E, Koh J, Polzin W, Harman C, O'Shaughnessy R, Brown R, Zaretsky MV; North American Fetal Therapy Network (NAFTNet).Fetal Diagn Ther. 2018;44(1):10-17.

Fetal Treatment 2017: The Evolution of Fetal Therapy Centers - A Joint Opinion from the International Fetal Medicine and Surgical Society (IFMSS) and the North American Fetal Therapy Network (NAFTNet)

Moon-Grady AJ, Baschat A, Cass D, Choolani M, Copel JA, Crombleholme TM, Deprest J, Emery SP, Evans MI, Luks FI, Norton ME, Ryan G, Tsao K, Welch R, Harrison M.Fetal Diagn Ther. 2017;42(4):241-248

North American Fetal Therapy Network: intervention vs expectant management for stage I twin-twin transfusion syndrome

Emery SP, Hasley SK, Catov JM, Miller RS, Moon-Grady AJ, Baschat AA, Johnson A, Lim FY, Gagnon AL, O'Shaughnessy RW, Ozcan T, Luks FI; North American Fetal Therapy Network.Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2016 Sep;215(3)

Current Selection Criteria and Perioperative Therapy Used for Fetal Myelomeningocele Surgery.

Moise KJ Jr, Moldenhauer JS, Bennett KA, Goodnight W, Luks FI, Emery SP, Tsao K, Moon-Grady AJ, Moore RC, Treadwell MC, Vlastos EJ, Wetjen NM.
Obstet Gynecol. 2016 Mar;127(3):593-7

Innovation in maternal-fetal therapy: a position statement from the North American Fetal Therapy Network.

Luks FI, Johnson A, Polzin WJ; North American Fetal Therapy Network.
Obstet Gynecol. 2015 Mar;125(3):649-52.

The North American Fetal Therapy Network Consensus Statement: Prenatal Management of Complicated Monochorionic Gestations

Emery SP, Bahtiyar MO, Moise KJ; North American Fetal Therapy Network.
Obstet Gynecol. 2015 Sep;126(3):575-84.

The North American Fetal Therapy Network Consensus Statement: Prenatal Surveillance of Uncomplicated Monochorionic Gestations

Bahtiyar MO, Emery SP, Dashe JS, Wilkins-Haug LE, Johnson A, Paek BW, Moon-Grady AJ, Skupski DW, OʼBrien BM, Harman CR, Simpson LL; North American Fetal Therapy Network.
Obstet Gynecol 2015 Jan;125(1):118-23.

Preoperative predictors of fetal and neonatal death after laser ablation of placental anastomoses for twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome: A secondary analysis using recursive partitioning

Skupski DW for the North American Fetal Therapy Network (NAFTNet).
International Fetal Medicine and Surgery Society Annual Meeting, March 2012, Queenstown, New Zealand

The North American Fetal Therapy Network Registry data on outcomes of radiofrequency ablation for twin-reversed arterial perfusion sequence.

Lee H, Bebbington M, Crombleholme TM; North American Fetal Therapy Network.
Fetal Diagn Ther. 2013;33(4):224-9.

The North American Fetal Therapy Network (NAFTNet): a new approach to collaborative research in fetal diagnosis and therapy.

Johnson MP; NAFTNet.
Semin Fetal Neonatal Med. 2010 Feb;15(1):52-7. Epub 2009 Jun 24.

Management of Stage I twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome: an international survey.

Molina S, Papanna R, Moise KJ Jr, Johnson A.
Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2010 Jul;36(1):42-7.

Preoperative predictors of death in twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome treated with laser ablation of placental anastomoses.

Skupski DW, North American Fetal Therapy Network (NAFTNet).
Prenat Diagn 2010;30:S1.

Preoperative predictors of death in twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome treated with laser ablation of placental anastomoses.

Skupski DW, North American Fetal Therapy Network (NAFTNet).
Proceedings of the Society of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Chicago, 2010. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2009 Dec;201(6):S36.

The National Institutes of Health Workshop on Fetal Treatment: needs assessment and future directions.

Chescheir NC, Socol M.
Obstet Gynecol. 2005 Oct;106(4):828-33.

read new article - "The tiniest patients: Operating inside the womb"

Maternal-fetal surgeons can already remove deadly tumors, unblock clogged aortas, and treat spinal abnormalities in utero. What’s coming next may be even more dramatic.Click here to keep reading

NAFTNet Statement regarding the SCOTUS "Dobbs" Ruling & post Roe v. Wade*

*Endorsed by the Society of Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM).  Read their statement here.

Following the recent ruling of the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization, many states have severely restricted or prohibited abortion with other states planning to follow suit. These changes have resulted in inconsistent access to a full range of safe reproductive health options based upon location. These prohibitions disproportionately impact socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals and families, further exacerbating health care disparities.

The North American Fetal Therapy Network (NAFTNet) supports the rights of all individuals to access a full range of reproductive health services, including abortion care. There are many reasons for which individuals and families may consider abortion. Some reasons involve severe fetal diagnoses, such as life-limiting structural malformations, congenital infections, hydrops fetalis, and genetic abnormalities. Notably, many of these complications are not detectable in early pregnancy and may not become evident until the second or third trimester. Thus, gestational age limitations on abortion care affect the ability of individuals to make fully informed decisions on pregnancy management once a severe or potentially life-limiting fetal diagnosis has been detected.

Medical decision-making becomes particularly challenging when severe fetal diagnoses impact one fetus within twin or higher-order multiple gestations. In these discordant presentations, the existence of a twin with a poor prognosis can severely jeopardize the otherwise normal co-twin and threaten maternal health. For example, in a monochorionic (shared placenta) twin pregnancy, if one twin spontaneously dies in utero, its co-twin assumes a near-instantaneous risk of death (about 10%) or survival with profound and permanent neurological damage (around 20-30%).

Selective reduction procedures exist to strategically terminate one twin in a controlled setting within a discordant twin or higher-order multiple gestation. In the case of monochorionic twins, this intervention is intended to optimize maternal health and the outcomes for the continuing twin by minimizing the risk of death or severe neurologic injury. When the poor prognosis for one twin jeopardizes the potential healthy outcome of the other, the decision for many patients and families favors selective reduction.

Many other complex and nuanced multiple gestation presentations exist for which the option of selective reduction provides a safe, effective, and beneficial alternative. This includes higher-order multiple gestations, for which reduction of one or more fetuses may provide risk-reducing benefit. Selective fetal reduction can optimize obstetrical outcomes for the surviving fetus(es) in multiple gestations. In some situations, it can provide maternal health benefit. Thus, blanket prohibitions on abortion care are a disservice to pregnant individuals, limiting patient autonomy and compromising obstetrical outcomes.

NAFTNet supports providing individuals faced with complex multiple gestations and fetal diagnoses with a full range of reproductive health options, including access to abortion care and leaving management decisions to patients and families with the guidance of their physicians.

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