UTHealth Houston Fetal Center

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UTHealth Houston Fetal Center The Fetal Center is a team of multidisciplinary specialists who manage complex fetal diagnoses in pregnancy.

Our team provides the highest level of evidence-based, patient-centered care to families through collaboration, innovation, and research. The Fetal Center at UTHealth Houston, is a national leader in fetal diagnosis, fetal intervention and comprehensive fetal care for babies with a known or suspected congenital anomaly or genetic abnormality requiring management or intervention before or after birth. The center offers a complete range of advanced prenatal testing and interventions with a coordinated program for mother and child before, during and after birth. The team of experts will develop a tailored, comprehensive plan of care for both mom and her babies.

09/25/2026

Meet Sami Backley, MD, fetal surgeon and maternal-fetal medicine specialist with UTHealth Houston Fetal Center.

Dr. Backley specializes in advanced fetal intervention and minimally invasive fetal surgery, caring for some of the most complex fetal conditions — including twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), spina bifida and other conditions requiring intervention before birth.

His connection to UTHealth Houston runs deep. After completing his maternal-fetal medicine fellowship here, Dr. Backley went on to complete two additional years of advanced training through our Fetal Intervention Fellowship before joining the faculty of McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston.

Alongside his clinical work, Dr. Backley is helping advance the future of fetal medicine through research and innovation. In 2025, he received the prestigious ISUOG Young Investigator Award in Obstetrics for his research focused on improving the prenatal diagnosis of vasa previa. His work in vasa previa continues today through research exploring innovative approaches to diagnosis and fetal intervention.

From the operating room to research and education, Dr. Backley brings extraordinary skill, curiosity and dedication to his work, with an unwavering commitment to caring for our patients and their families — and we are incredibly grateful to have him as part of our Fetal Center team.

McGovern Medical School

We hope you can join the SMFM presentation on Wednesday, September 16, at 12:00 PM ET, for the SMFM Fellow Lecture, Feta...
09/10/2026

We hope you can join the SMFM presentation on Wednesday, September 16, at 12:00 PM ET, for the SMFM Fellow Lecture, Fetal Therapy: Indications, Options, and Future Directions, with our faculty member, Dr. Anthony Johnson.

In this lecture, Dr. Johnson will cover:
• The requirements for introducing new fetal surgical intervention in human pregnancies.
• Identified fetal surgical interventions that are clinically accepted as in utero treatment options.
• Interventions that are on the horizon.

Date: Wednesday, September 16
Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM ET

Register today by clicking the link in bio SMFM

08/12/2026

Meet Dr. KuoJen Tsao, a familiar face to so many of our patients, families and colleagues.

For more than 15 years, Dr. Tsao has served as Co-Director of UTHealth Houston Fetal Center and is a leader in pediatric surgery at UTHealth Houston. He has played an integral role in the growth of our program, particularly in building the multidisciplinary approach that is at the heart of the care we provide.

For patients facing complex fetal diagnoses, that collaboration is critical. Dr. Tsao helps bring together the many pediatric specialists, and care teams needed to surround each family with comprehensive, coordinated care — from diagnosis and delivery through treatment after birth and beyond.

We are incredibly fortunate to have his leadership, expertise and longstanding commitment to our patients.

Hear from Dr. Tsao about the work that has helped shape The Fetal Center — and the extraordinary collaboration that gives our patients and their families hope when they need it most.

Changing the standard of care in vasa previa. Our latest publication, “Fetoscopic laser ablation vs standard management ...
04/07/2026

Changing the standard of care in vasa previa.

Our latest publication, “Fetoscopic laser ablation vs standard management for Type-II and Type-III vasa previa,” highlights advancements in fetal intervention for vasa previa. We are proud to be at the forefront of research and innovation, in collaboration with leaders in fetal surgery.

Together, we are pushing the field forward to improve outcomes for our patients and generations to come. Full article in bio.

Changing the standard of care in vasa previa. Our latest publication, “Fetoscopic laser ablation vs standard management ...
04/07/2026

Changing the standard of care in vasa previa.

Our latest publication, “Fetoscopic laser ablation vs standard management for Type-II and Type-III vasa previa” highlights advancements in fetal intervention for vasa previa. We are proud to be at the forefront of research and innovation, in collaboration with leaders in fetal surgery.

Together, we are pushing the field forward to improve outcomes for our patients and generations to come. Full article in bio.

02/19/2026

Back from and incredibly proud of our team. From posters to presentations, we were honored to showcase the depth of our research in maternal-fetal medicine, fetal intervention and beyond. Every abstract, every discussion, every exchange reflects our shared commitment to one goal: improve patient outcomes.

It was also a true gift to reconnect with friends and colleagues from across the world who are aligned in this same mission. The collaboration, the energy, the collective drive to do better for our patients is what makes our work so meaningful.

We are grateful, inspired and already looking ahead to next year. Onward and upward!

02/07/2026

We’re headed to the 2026 SMFM Pregnancy Meeting!

Our team looks forward to reconnecting with friends and colleagues next week as we showcase our ongoing dedication to fetal surgery, maternal–fetal medicine, and Placenta Accreta Spectrum care. Each year, this meeting is an opportunity to share the research and innovation driving improved outcomes for our patients — and to connect with the incredible community advancing our field.

Come visit us at Exhibit 402 — we can’t wait to see you.

As we step into 2026, we are reflecting on the privilege of walking alongside each patient through their unique journey....
01/05/2026

As we step into 2026, we are reflecting on the privilege of walking alongside each patient through their unique journey. We’re proud to be a comprehensive team of specialists ready to care for even the most challenging diagnoses in pregnancy and to provide hope to those entrusted to our care.

Thank you to Kacie and Drew Gonzales for sharing your incredible story and allowing us to be part of your journey—and Rylan’s journey. We look forward to the year ahead doing what we love and what we do best: caring for mothers and their pregnancies.

Wishing everyone a wonderful year ahead, and, to our patients, thank you for allowing us to walk alongside you.

Click the to read the full feature

12/16/2025

Congratulations to Dr. Ramesha Papanna and our Fetal Center team on securing a $2.8 million NIH R01 grant to advance long-term outcomes research in fetoscopic spina bifida repair.

This five-year award will support continued follow-up of patients enrolled in the clinical trial through 30 months of age.

We are proud of our team’s leadership in fetal surgery research and grateful for the multidisciplinary collaboration that continues to elevate UTHealth Houston on a national and international stage. We are honored to be part of the journey of every patient entrusted to our care, and grateful for this grant supporting our continued commitment and dedication to advancing research that will benefit generations of patients to come.

Full press release via link in profile
To speak with our physicians and clinical specialists please call 📱 832-325-7288

It has been a busy and inspiring fall season for our fetal team. In addition to caring for patients here in Houston, our...
11/17/2025

It has been a busy and inspiring fall season for our fetal team. In addition to caring for patients here in Houston, our faculty and research leaders have represented us on the international stage — sharing our work, innovation, and advancements in fetal surgery.

In September, we were honored to attend the 35th World Congress on Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology (ISUOG 2025), where our team’s research and leadership continued to reflect our unwavering commitment to advancing and leading care in fetal medicine.

A special congratulations to our faculty member, Dr. Sami Backley, recipient of the Young Investigator Award at ISUOG 2025 in Cancún, recognizing his outstanding contributions to advancing fetal imaging and diagnosis. Every stride we take, and every bit of work we do, is driven by one purpose: to improve outcomes for patients and families facing complex fetal diagnoses.

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6410 Fannin, Suite 210
Houston, TX
77030

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