why would someone need urgent fetal surgery

Someone might need urgent fetal surgery to treat life-threatening birth defects or serious conditions detected in the fetus that could lead to death or severe disability if not addressed before birth. Urgent fetal surgery is performed to correct or manage problems such as fluid in the lungs, congenital lung malformations, spina bifida, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, amniotic band syndrome, and other critical fetal abnormalities that can worsen as the fetus grows. These surgeries aim to improve the chances of survival and long- term health outcomes for the baby, sometimes preventing fatal complications like heart failure due to lung malformations compressing the heart or preventing neural damage in cases of spina bifida. The surgery is typically done in specialized centers between about 16 and 26 weeks of pregnancy when such conditions are diagnosed and are deemed treatable before birth. This intervention can make a significant difference, allowing some babies to have better functionality and less disability than if the conditions were treated after birth.