Updates

Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Program

What is CDH?

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a hole or opening in the baby’s diaphragm, the muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen. This hole allows for organs that usually develop in the abdomen, such as the stomach, intestines, liver and spleen, to move up into the chest. These organs push against the structures that are normally in the baby’s chest, including the lung and the heart. These organs crowd the baby’s lungs and prevent them from growing and developing properly.

CDH can range in severity from mild to life-threatening, depending on the baby’s defect and other conditions present.

Without enough space to grow, the baby’s lungs are often small and underdeveloped. This smaller than normal lung development is known as pulmonary hypoplasia and causes breathing problems at birth.

CDH can also cause abnormal development of the blood vessels in the lungs, causing higher blood pressure in the lungs known as pulmonary hypertension. The high blood pressure can make it harder for blood to flow in the lungs and make it harder to get oxygen in and carbon dioxide out of the lungs.

CDH is a rare birth defect occurring in about one in 2,500 to 5,000 babies. In most cases, the cause is unknown.

The condition occurs when the diaphragm muscle doesn’t form properly while the fetus is developing, allowing the abdominal organs to push into the chest.

CDH is most commonly seen on the baby’s left side, but can happen on the right side, or even both sides (bilateral).

Our Research

Texas Children’s Fetal Center, in collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine, is the first center in the United States to participate in the moderate TOTAL trial.

For more information about these CDH clinical trials at ClinicalTrials.gov:

Contact Us

Prenatal Diagnosis

For more information or to schedule an appointment call:

  • Texas Children’s Fetal Center at 832-822-2229 or 1-877-FetalRx (338-2579) toll-free.

Our phones are answered 24/7. Immediate appointments are often available.

Long-term Follow-up

For more information about Texas Children’s Hospital’s congenital diaphragmatic hernia programs, please call the following numbers:

  • CDH Complex Clinic - 832-822-3696
  • CDH Outcomes Clinic - 832-822-3135

Why Texas Children's?

You and your baby will receive expert maternal, fetal and pediatric care in a single location. At Texas Children’s Hospital, you and your baby can get the specialized care you need for the treatment of CDH — all in one location — avoiding the need to transport a critically ill newborn and providing you immediate, easy access to your baby in our renowned neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Your care will be provided by a skilled, experienced team with proven CDH outcomes. Our dedicated team of maternal-fetal medicine specialists, surgeons, neonatologists, ECMO specialists, pulmonologists, cardiologists, gastroenterologists and other experts work in concert to care for you and your baby every step of the way, using protocols we’ve developed over the years that result in excellent, published outcomes. With this combined expertise and unified approach, these leading physicians offer the best possible care for babies with CDH.

Your child’s CDH needs will be met at every stage of life. Our comprehensive approach starts with your first prenatal visit for CDH and continues throughout your child’s delivery, postnatal care and into adolescence — thanks to one of the nation’s leading teams of specialists for the treatment of CDH.

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