New Nemours Institute in Wilmington Aims to Treat Babies Before Birth, Bringing Rare Fetal Care Closer to Home

A new center for treating babies before they’re born — why it matters

Nemours Children’s Health has announced a new Institute for Maternal Fetal Health in Wilmington that will begin seeing patients in early 2026. The center will offer therapies and care aimed at fetuses with serious problems, and at pregnant people whose pregnancies are complicated by high risk conditions.

This is important because families who now must travel long distances for specialized prenatal care will have a closer option. It also means the region gains a team dedicated to some of the most complex and time-sensitive treatments in medicine — from advanced prenatal imaging to procedures done while a baby is still in the womb.

What care the Institute will provide and who it will serve

The new Institute is being framed as a one-stop hub for clinical services related to high-risk pregnancies and fetal conditions. Officials say the center will offer comprehensive prenatal diagnosis, fetal imaging, and a range of fetal therapies. That includes noninvasive approaches — like detailed ultrasound and MRI imaging — and minimally invasive procedures to treat problems before birth.

Examples of cases that could be treated there include fetuses with congenital abnormalities that threaten lung or heart development, conditions that impair growth, and disorders that cause fluid build-up or other life-threatening complications. The Institute will also manage pregnancies involving complex maternal health issues that affect the baby, such as certain infections or placental disorders.

Care will be wrapped around families. Expect coordinated consultations with maternal–fetal medicine specialists, pediatric surgeons, neonatologists, genetic counselors and social work — so parents get both the medical answer and the practical support they need.

Who will lead care and research at the Institute

Leadership will be anchored by the Elizabeth W. Snyder Endowed Chair in Fetal Therapy and Innovation, a role created to marry clinical care with research and training. That chair will guide clinical protocols, set research priorities and build educational programs for fellows and resident physicians.

Research at the Institute will focus on safer, less invasive fetal procedures, better imaging techniques that reveal problems earlier, and data-driven approaches to decide which fetuses will benefit most from intervention. The aim is practical: improve short-term survival and long-term development while lowering risks for pregnant people.

Officials say the Institute will also push for innovation through clinical trials and collaborations. Over time, its leaders hope to publish outcomes that help other centers refine their practices and expand access to proven treatments.

When the Institute will open and how families can access care

The facility is currently in fit-out and is expected to begin accepting patients in early 2026. Nemours says construction work and clinical build-out are underway now, with specialized imaging suites and procedure rooms being prepared to meet the needs of high-risk prenatal care.

Referrals will come from obstetricians, perinatologists, pediatricians and regional hospitals. The Institute plans to offer initial telemedicine consultations for families who live far away, followed by in-person visits for imaging and any necessary procedures. Care will be provided through a coordinated pathway so parents know when to expect tests, surgery if needed, and the plan for delivery and newborn care.

Who paid for it and who is partnering on the work

The launch is being supported by a mix of philanthropy and institutional funding, including an endowment tied to the Elizabeth W. Snyder chair. Nemours says donor gifts helped accelerate the timeline for new clinical spaces and research infrastructure, while the health system will cover operational costs for the program.

The Institute will work with academic partners and other children’s hospitals for training and shared research projects. Those partnerships are meant to speed clinical trials, broaden the pool of cases for research, and create a training pipeline so more clinicians can learn fetal therapies — a field that currently relies on a small number of specialized centers.

What this means for local families and the region, and what comes next

For many families in Delaware and nearby states, the Institute should cut the travel and disruption that come with seeking highly specialized prenatal care far from home. That helps in practical ways — fewer missed workdays, easier post-procedure follow-up, and having more of the support network nearby when decisions are hardest.

Clinically, the new center increases regional capacity for time-sensitive fetal interventions. That matters because the timing of diagnosis and treatment can change outcomes dramatically for some conditions. The Institute’s leaders emphasize that having local teams coordinating with delivery hospitals and neonatal intensive care units will smooth transitions from prenatal care to birth and newborn care.

A Nemours representative described the launch as a step toward making advanced fetal care more walk-in friendly for the region: families will gain clearer referral routes, quicker access to imaging, and a team that handles everything from diagnosis through surgery and newborn planning.

Next steps through 2026 include finishing the clinical fit-out, staffing the multidisciplinary teams, starting a patient intake schedule and announcing training and research programs. Nemours says it will share more details about the clinical team and specific services as the opening draws closer.

In short, the new Institute aims to bring an uncommon level of prenatal care to Wilmington — and to give families facing rare and frightening diagnoses a local place to get advanced treatment, research-backed options and coordinated support when it matters most.

Photo: Hannah Barata / Pexels

Sources

• prnewswire.com