WILMINGTON, Del. – April 7, 2026 – Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware, today hosted the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Institute for Maternal Fetal Health at Nemours Children’s, marking a transformative milestone in maternal, fetal, and neonatal care for the Delaware Valley. The Institute will expand the hospital’s maternal fetal health program to include Delaware’s first surgical fetal care center, ushering in a new era of leading-edge care for pregnant mothers and their babies, combining the region’s most specialized prenatal, fetal, and neonatal services in one integrated environment.
The Institute for Maternal Fetal Health represents a comprehensive approach to supporting expectant patients who receive a complex diagnosis during pregnancy and delivers care that is personal, compassionate, and focused on the whole family. The Institute’s new state-of-the-art facility in the Delaware Valley will improve maternal and neonatal outcomes by delivering advanced procedures and specialized capabilities in a single, integrated care environment dedicated to mother and baby. Under one roof, women can receive expert prenatal diagnosis, imaging, and fetal treatments while pregnant, deliver their babies, and get specialized newborn care after birth—ensuring that care feels coordinated, not overwhelming.
“The Institute for Maternal Fetal Health embodies the idea that Nemours doesn’t just treat disease, we create health,” said R. Lawrence Moss, MD, FACS, FAAP, President and CEO of Nemours Children's Health. “This space will support mental and physical health for the whole family, and keep them all together as they care for a child with a serious illness. We think holistically about each family’s health so that we can give them the best possible outcome.”
Julie S. Moldenhauer, MD, PMH-C, Executive Director of the Institute for Maternal Fetal Health and the Elizabeth W. Snyder Endowed Chair in Fetal Therapy and Innovation at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware, leads a distinguished team of maternal fetal medicine specialists dedicated to advancing care for expecting mothers and their babies. Highly accomplished fetal interventionalists, including Eric P. Bergh, MD, and Nina Paidas Teefey, MD, PMH-C, will expand Nemours in utero diagnostic and surgical interventions.
“A child’s health begins well before birth. Our Institute for Maternal Fetal Health does more than recognize the importance of prenatal diagnosis and therapy; we partner with expectant moms and families to ensure that every child begins life with both hope and health,” said Katherine Deans, MD, MHSc, Senior Vice President and Enterprise Surgeon-in-Chief for Nemours. “We turn early insights, timely interventions, and compassionate relationships with our team into lifelong health for these children.”
This expansion significantly grows Nemours Children’s maternal fetal health program in the Delaware Valley, including a new Advanced Delivery Unit (ADU), Fetal Care Center, Psychosocial Support Program, and the NICU extension—demonstrating Nemours Children’s Health’s deep commitment to the region’s families. The new Psychosocial Support Program is designed to support mental health and wellness for expectant parents and families during and after these unique pregnancies.
A distinctive feature of the new facility is its integrated design, which keeps mothers and babies in close proximity throughout their care journey. After delivery, mothers are just steps away from their babies, even if their newborn needs care in the Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) or the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU). This closeness supports bonding, healing, and peace of mind during what can be an overwhelming time for families. The space offers a sanctuary of calm to expectant mothers who may need to stay for extended periods of time. Each step of the design process took these expectant mothers’ needs into consideration as their physical and mental health is paramount during this often stressful time.
The new facility will officially open to patients on April 13, 2026. To learn more or schedule an appointment, visit the Institute’s website.
About Nemours Children’s Health
Nemours Children’s Health is one of the nation’s largest multistate pediatric health systems, which includes two freestanding children's hospitals and a network of more than 70 primary and specialty care practices. Nemours Children's seeks to transform the health of children by adopting a holistic health model that utilizes innovative, safe, and high-quality care, while also addressing children’s needs well beyond medicine. In producing the highly acclaimed, award-winning pediatric medicine podcast Well Beyond Medicine, Nemours underscores that commitment by featuring the people, programs and partnerships addressing Whole Child Health. Nemours Children's also powers the world’s most-visited website with health information written for parents, kids and teens, Nemours KidsHealth.
The Nemours Foundation, established through the legacy and philanthropy of Alfred I. duPont, provides pediatric clinical care, research, education, advocacy, and prevention programs to the children, families and communities it serves. For more information, visit Nemours.org.
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