Asan Medical Center has established a specialized Fetal Heart Center dedicated to diagnosing and treating cardiac anomalies in fetuses. The hospital began seeing patients at the new center on Sept. 10 and will hold an official opening ceremony on Sept. 23.
By spinning off fetal cardiac care from its existing Fetal Therapy Center, Asan Medical Center will manage the complete continuum of care for congenital heart disease—from prenatal screening and diagnosis to post-birth interventional procedures and surgical repairs.
Addressing Congenital Heart Defects Affecting 1% of Newborns
Congenital heart disease refers to structural defects or functional abnormalities that develop during fetal heart formation, typically within the first trimester of pregnancy. Affecting roughly one out of every 100 newborns, these conditions stem from a combination of genetic and environmental factors, though precise causes remain difficult to pinpoint.
Manifestations range in severity from ventricular septal defects (holes in the wall between the heart's lower chambers) to complex structural anomalies such as transposition of the great arteries and single-ventricle defects. Because critical treatment requirements immediately after birth vary widely based on the specific defect, accurate prenatal diagnosis is crucial. Early detection allows clinical teams to counsel parents, establish safe delivery protocols, and prepare emergency post-birth interventions in advance.
Seamless Multidisciplinary Care Led by Professor Lee Mi-young
Asan Medical Center has long been a leader in fetal cardiac care. In 2023 alone, the hospital performed 1,216 fetal echocardiograms, and it has operated an Early Fetal Advanced Cardiac Diagnosis Clinic to detect structural heart anomalies in early pregnancy. While several domestic hospitals operate specialized clinics for fetal cardiac conditions, Asan Medical Center is the first in South Korea to establish a standalone, dedicated center.
The center is led by Lee Mi-young, an obstetrics and gynecology professor who has specialized in advanced fetal cardiac diagnosis at Asan Medical Center since 2007.
The Fetal Heart Center integrates specialists across obstetrics and gynecology, pediatric cardiology, pediatric cardiac surgery, and neonatology. Working as a unified team, these clinicians provide comprehensive prenatal counseling, coordinate delivery plans, and execute post-birth treatment strategies.
"The Fetal Heart Center will deliver specialized care tailored for complex fetal cardiac malformations," an Asan Medical Center official told health news outlet Kormedi.com. "This integrated approach ensures that both the mother's pregnancy and delivery and the fetus's heart condition are managed together seamlessly under a single clinical strategy."
