NAFTNet
Encyclopedia
The North American Fetal Therapy Network (NAFTNet) is a voluntary association of medical centers in the United States
and Canada
with established expertise in fetal surgery
and other forms of multidisciplinary care for complex disorders of the fetus
.
The goal of NAFTNet is to foster collaborative research in fetal medicine. Members of NAFTNet can access current research protocols and participate in research studies. The NAFTNet initiative is funded, in part, by the National Institutes of Health
(NIH).
NAFTNet also functions as an educational resource for patients and future parents. Its web site offer links to governmental agencies, medical sites, patient support groups and other resources in the field of fetal medicine and fetal intervention.
and advanced fetal therapy organized a workshop under the auspices of the National Institute for Child Health and Development (NICHD) to examine the Future of Fetal Medicine.
One of the group's recommendations was that an organization that would regroup the most active centers throughout North America could help promote evidence-based fetal medicine and could help individual centers conduct sound and effective clinical research in the new field of fetal medicine.
The following year, physicians from four of the centers that participated in the workshop laid the groundwork for a North American Fetal Therapy Network, whose Steering Committee is now composed of representatives from 18 fetal treatment centers. NAFTNet members are physicians from various specialties involved in fetal medicine, including maternal-fetal medicine
, pediatric surgery
, genetics
, neonatology
and fetal cardiology
.
The Secondary Mission of NAFTNet is
In general a medical intervention is performed by administering medication to the mother. The drug crosses through the placenta and reaches the blood circulation of the fetus.
Surgical intervention on the fetus may involve either a direct operation of the fetus or an intervention on the placenta, as in the case of twin-twin-transfusion syndrome (TTTS). In some cases, it may be performed at the time of delivery: the Ex Utero-Intrapartum (“EXIT procedure
”) procedure.
Fetal therapy, and advanced fetal therapy in particular, is a relatively new field in medicine. Because of the complexity and the significant risks involved with a surgical or medical intervention on a pregnant woman and her fetus, these procedures are usually performed in specialized centers and involve a multidisciplinary team of specialists.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
with established expertise in fetal surgery
Fetal surgery
Fetal surgery is any of a broad range of surgical techniques that are used to treat birth defects in fetuses who are still in the pregnant uterus.* Open fetal surgery involves completely opening the uterus to operate on the fetus....
and other forms of multidisciplinary care for complex disorders of the fetus
Fetus
A fetus is a developing mammal or other viviparous vertebrate after the embryonic stage and before birth.In humans, the fetal stage of prenatal development starts at the beginning of the 11th week in gestational age, which is the 9th week after fertilization.-Etymology and spelling variations:The...
.
The goal of NAFTNet is to foster collaborative research in fetal medicine. Members of NAFTNet can access current research protocols and participate in research studies. The NAFTNet initiative is funded, in part, by the National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
(NIH).
NAFTNet also functions as an educational resource for patients and future parents. Its web site offer links to governmental agencies, medical sites, patient support groups and other resources in the field of fetal medicine and fetal intervention.
History
In 2004, physicians from several centers that perform fetal surgeryFetal surgery
Fetal surgery is any of a broad range of surgical techniques that are used to treat birth defects in fetuses who are still in the pregnant uterus.* Open fetal surgery involves completely opening the uterus to operate on the fetus....
and advanced fetal therapy organized a workshop under the auspices of the National Institute for Child Health and Development (NICHD) to examine the Future of Fetal Medicine.
One of the group's recommendations was that an organization that would regroup the most active centers throughout North America could help promote evidence-based fetal medicine and could help individual centers conduct sound and effective clinical research in the new field of fetal medicine.
The following year, physicians from four of the centers that participated in the workshop laid the groundwork for a North American Fetal Therapy Network, whose Steering Committee is now composed of representatives from 18 fetal treatment centers. NAFTNet members are physicians from various specialties involved in fetal medicine, including maternal-fetal medicine
Maternal-fetal medicine
Maternal-Fetal medicine is the branch of obstetrics that focuses on the medical and surgical management of high-risk pregnancies. Management includes monitoring and treatment including comprehensive ultrasound, chorionic villus sampling, genetic amniocentesis, and fetal surgery or treatment....
, pediatric surgery
Pediatric surgery
Pediatric surgery or paediatric surgery is a subspecialty of surgery involving the surgery of fetuses, infants, children, adolescents, and young adults...
, genetics
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
, neonatology
Neonatology
Neonatology is a subspecialty of pediatrics that consists of the medical care of newborn infants, especially the ill or premature newborn infant. It is a hospital-based specialty, and is usually practiced in neonatal intensive care units...
and fetal cardiology
Cardiology
Cardiology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the heart . The field includes diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects, coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular heart disease and electrophysiology...
.
Mission statement
The Primary Mission of the North American Fetal Therapy Network (NAFTNet) is- To provide a cooperative clinical research network to study the natural history of fetal disease
- To develop therapeutic prenatal interventions to improve outcomes
The Secondary Mission of NAFTNet is
- To function as an educational resource for patients and healthcare providers
- To train future leaders in clinical and basic science research in the field of fetal intervention
Fetal therapy
Fetal therapy, or fetal treatment, is part of fetal medicine. It includes interventions performed on a “sick” fetus with the aim of achieving fetal well being. These interventions include medical (i.e. non-invasive) and surgical procedures.In general a medical intervention is performed by administering medication to the mother. The drug crosses through the placenta and reaches the blood circulation of the fetus.
Surgical intervention on the fetus may involve either a direct operation of the fetus or an intervention on the placenta, as in the case of twin-twin-transfusion syndrome (TTTS). In some cases, it may be performed at the time of delivery: the Ex Utero-Intrapartum (“EXIT procedure
EXIT procedure
The EXIT procedure, or ex utero intrapartum treatment procedure, is a specialized surgical delivery procedure used to deliver babies who have airway compression...
”) procedure.
Fetal therapy, and advanced fetal therapy in particular, is a relatively new field in medicine. Because of the complexity and the significant risks involved with a surgical or medical intervention on a pregnant woman and her fetus, these procedures are usually performed in specialized centers and involve a multidisciplinary team of specialists.