The Richard D. Wood Jr. Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment is a nationally recognized center for the evaluation and treatment of prenatally diagnosed obstructive uropathy, or lower urinary tract obstruction (LUTO) and other congenital urologic disorders.

Prenatal intervention in carefully selected obstructive uropathy/LUTO cases have greatly improved pediatric survival and reduced the risk of pulmonary and renal morbidity. Our team of experts continues to provide advanced and innovative in utero therapy to improve postnatal outcomes through collaborative research projects in order to disseminate critical clinical information to our patients.

Current research

• North American Fetal Therapy Network (NAFTNet)
• Renal Anhydramnios Fetal Therapy (RAFT)

Prior noteworthy publications

• Johnson MP, Danzer E, Koh J, Polzin W, Harman C, O'Shaughnessy R, Brown R, Zaretsky MV; North American Fetal Therapy Network (NAFTNet). Natural History of Fetal Lower Urinary Tract Obstruction with Normal Amniotic Fluid Volume at Initial Diagnosis. Fetal Diagn Ther. 2018;44(1):10-17.
• Johnson MP, Wilson RD. Shunt-based interventions: Why, how, and when to place a shunt. Semin Fetal Neonatal Med. 2017 Dec;22(6):391-398.
• Rychik J, McCann M, Tian Z, Bebbington M, Johnson MP. Fetal cardiovascular effects of lower urinary tract obstruction with giant bladder. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2010 Dec;36(6):682-6.
• Wu S, Johnson MP. Fetal lower urinary tract obstruction. Clin Perinatol. 2009 Jun;36(2):377-90.
• Biard JM, Johnson MP, Carr MC, Wilson RD, Hedrick HL, Pavlock C, Adzick NS. Long-term outcomes in children treated by prenatal vesicoamniotic shunting for lower urinary tract obstruction. Obstet Gynecol. 2005 Sep;106(3):503-8.