The Institute for Maternal Fetal Health at Nemours Children’s Hospital is set to open in early 2026

Nemours Children’s Hospital is launching a new maternal and fetal health program designed to help families with complex fetal diagnoses get specialized care closer to home.

The Institute for Maternal Fetal Health will begin treating patients at Nemours’ flagship hospital in Wilmington in early 2026. The institute’s goal is to provide advanced care for mothers and babies with potentially life-threatening diagnoses, such as congenital heart disease, metabolic disorders, and genetic defects. They may otherwise have had to travel to farther-away hospitals in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, or New York.

The institute will provide in utero surgery — procedures that are done on a fetus before birth to correct certain debilitating birth defects, such as spina bifida, which is when the spinal column does not completely close and leaves the spinal cord exposed.

It will also offer more education and resources for other family members, especially other children, to help them cope with a fetal diagnosis.

“Our biggest impetus is to help families stay closer to home,” said Julie S. Moldenhauer, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist and the institute’s inaugural executive director.

The new maternal fetal health institute builds on Nemours growth in the area. The Delaware-based nonprofit health system in 2024 took over pediatric offices previously operated by Crozer Health, which closed under bankruptcy earlier this year.

At its Wilmington hospital, Nemours is adding three new dedicated operating rooms for C-sections, complex deliveries, and fetal surgeries.

The institute will also include more patient rooms and neonatal stabilization rooms for babies who need extra support after birth.

A new wellness room will serve as a place for families to gather for a meal, play time, art therapy, or yoga.

For parents, a fetal diagnosis can result in excitement about a new baby being replaced by fear for their child’s health.

What’s more, getting the care they need may involve traveling from home for frequent appointments and procedures. That can be expensive for families who need to take time off work, pay for travel and hotel stays, and find childcare for any siblings remaining home.

“All those hopes and dreams can feel like they’re a candle being blown out,” Moldenhauer said. “Building a beautiful nursery becomes — how are we going to get back and forth to all these appointments?”

When families have to travel for advanced prenatal care, siblings who remain at home may feel left out or scared about whether their parents and the baby will be all right.

At its new institute, Nemours will offer support groups for grandparents, and education for siblings to demystify the medical process.

Psychologists can help couples who are struggling with their relationship during a complex pregnancy, or talk to children who are showing signs of being affected by their parents’ stress.

“Until you see your child with all the tubes in a NICU, in an incubator, it doesn’t feel real,” said Moldenhauer. “We want to fortify the whole family.”