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Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment Center featured in Quarterly Magazine

The UW Health Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment Center has celebrated many successes in the past several months, including rebuilding a baby’s airway partway through delivery, supporting a Wisconsin woman who gave birth and received a heart transplant all within eight weeks, and treating twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome. Michael Beninati, MD, assistant professor in the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, co-directs the center and has been crucial to the success of all these procedures.

An article in the Summer 2023 issue of Quarterly Magazine, the UW School of Medicine and Public Health’s alumni publication, explores the origins of the Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment Center and highlights the value the center brings to Wisconsin:

“Reflecting on the situation before the Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment Center opened, [Center director and Department of Surgery assistant professor Inna] Lobeck notes, “People often aren’t able to travel several hours to get fetal surgery and live away from home through their baby’s birth and time in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).”

Read “Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment Center Cares for the Tiniest Before Birth” for a comprehensive view of the services offered by the Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment Center!

Beninati and Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment team save baby with innovative surgical intervention

UW Health recently shared a remarkable story from the Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment Center: the team performed a specialized surgery in February 2023 that saved a Waupun baby’s life. Michael Beninati, MD, assistant professor in the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, co-directs the center along with pediatric general surgeon Inna Lobeck, MD and was a crucial member of the health care team that performed the surgery: 

“The surgery is called ex-utero intrapartum treatment, or EXIT, which enables the team to partially deliver the baby via cesarean and establish a safe airway before completing the cesarean delivery. 

They delivered the head, neck, one arm and the 17-centimeter tumor blocking the baby’s airway while Ashley was under anesthesia. They had 30 minutes to establish an airway around the tumor while keeping the rest of the baby supported by her mom via the placenta, which provides oxygen and blood flow. After 30 minutes placental support would run out and the baby would need to be fully delivered. The expert team completed the procedure in just 12 minutes.” 

You can read about this extraordinary story from UW Health: Surgical Procedure Saves Baby’s Life at Birth 

The story was also covered extensively in local and statewide media: 

Waupun baby's life saved with surgical procedure following birth at UW Health – Channel 3000 

UW Health surgeons applauded for life-saving fetal procedure – NBC 15 

UW Health doctors save baby’s life with surgery during delivery – WKOW  

Doctors remove massive tumor from Waupun baby after birth – WBAY  

UW Health doctors remove nearly two-pound tumor from baby’s neck in life-saving surgery – Fox 11 

Incredible work, Dr. Beninati! 

In the News: Beninati on Wisconsin woman’s heart failure in pregnancy

UW Health shared the remarkable story of a Wisconsin woman who gave birth and received a heart transplant within an eight-week span in late 2022 and early 2023. Michael Beninati, MD, assistant professor in the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, was a critical part of the team that cared for the patient and her baby:

““We put together a huge team of experts at UW Health including surgeons, neonatologists, pediatricians, OBGYNs, cardiologists, critical care teams, nurses and anesthesiologists to figure out what to do,” Beninati said. “At the end of this process, around 30 doctors and dozens of nurses worked together to save Susan and her baby.”

You can read the whole article and watch an excellent video from UW Health here. This remarkable story was covered extensively in statewide and national media, including an interview with Dr. Beninati:

Wisconsin woman overcomes heart failure, transplant to become 1st-time mom – CBS 58

Wisconsin mom celebrates first Mother’s Day after heart transplant saves her life – NBC 15

WDTV West Virginia

New mom gets heart transplant to save her life – CBS Philadelphia

Incredible work, Dr. Beninati!

Beninati discusses maternal mortality statistics with CBS 58

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released updated maternal mortality statistics showing an increase in maternal mortality from 2018 to 2021, with significant racial disparities in the rates of increase.

Michael Beninati, MD, assistant professor in the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, discussed these statistics with CBS-58: 

“"I think that we should be utilizing as much of our time and resources as possible to figure out - one, why it's happening - and two, what we can do to get that trend moving in the right direction for Black patients as well as all patients," said Dr. Beninati.”

Watch “New report: More women are dying from pregnancy and childbirth” to learn more.

Beninati and UW Health Fetal Surgery Center successes in news

​UW Health, in partnership with UnityPoint Health-Meriter Hospital, launched the Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment Center in 2022. Michael Beninati, MD, assistant professor in the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, co-directs the center along with pediatric general surgeon Inna Lobeck, MD. A recent surgery at the Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment Center was featured in several news outlets in January. Learn more about their successful surgery that helped a Wisconsin family:

Through fetal surgery, UW Health works to save babies before birth – Wisconsin State Journal

Emergency fetal surgery saves unborn twins' lives – Channel 3000

Congratulations to Dr. Beninati and the Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment Center team!

Beninati talks about COVID vaccines and temporary cycle changes on NBC-15

A new study published in the Green Journal found that COVID vaccines can cause brief, temporary changes to menstrual cycles. Michael Beninati, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine joined NBC-15 Madison to explain why those temporary cycle changes are not cause for alarm and do not indicate future fertility issues.

“But MD Michael Beninati, an OBGYN at UW Health, says there is no evidence to suggest the vaccine impacts a woman’s ability to conceive.

“Those changes seem to be short-lived, and as we study more long-term consequences, namely on the ability to conceive, there does not appear to be any association between the COVID-19 vaccine and a decreased ability to conceive,” said Dr. Beninati.”

Watch the whole interview here!

Beninati discusses COVID vaccines and fertility on CBS 58

A recent study in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that COVID-19 vaccination does not affect future fertility. Michael Beninati, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine appeared on CBS 58 News to help explain what people need to know about COVID vaccination and fertility.

In the interview, Beninati emphasized that pregnant people are at higher risk of severe disease if they contract COVID:

“Pregnant women are more susceptible to suffering adverse effects from the virus. Dr. Beninati said, "When you're pregnant and catch COVID you're at an increased risk for becoming critically ill, for needing a ventilator, for needing ICU admission, for your baby to be born prematurely, for your baby to need ICU admission."”

Watch the whole interview here!

Beninati shares CDC recommendations on COVID vaccines and pregnancy with UW Health, area news

Michael Beninati, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, has been helping combat COVID vaccine and pregnancy misinformation a lot over the last few months. He recently appeared in a UW Health video explaining why COVID vaccines are recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding people, which aired on many Wisconsin news stations.

Beninati’s recommendation was shared by television news stations WKOW and NBC15 in Madison, WJFW and WAOW in Wausau, and WDJT in Milwaukee.

Thanks to Dr. Beninati for helping spread this incredibly important message! 

Women’s Healthcast: Beninati dispels COVID vaccine myths

Vaccines for COVID-19 became available in late 2020, and were immediately followed by a rash of myths and misinformation online. Many of the most pervasive myths – that the vaccine causes infertility, that it’s unsafe for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, that it can cause miscarriage – are specifically focused on women’s health and reproductive health.

Michael Beninati, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, joins this episode of the Women’s Healthcast to put a stop to some of the most dangerous misinformation, and talk about the research that shows why these myths just aren’t true.

Listen to “COVID Vaccines and Women’s Health Myths” now.

Did you know the Women’s Healthcast is available on all your favorite podcast platforms? Whether you like to listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Podbean, or anywhere else, you can find us! (Just search Women’s Healthcast, and while you’re at it, may as well subscribe!)

Beninati presents on obstetric critical care to Indiana University Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship

On May 13, 2021, Michael Beninati, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, presented a lecture to the Indiana University Department of Medicine’s Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship program.

Beninati, who is fellowship trained in surgical critical care as well as maternal-fetal medicine, discussed pulmonary changes in pregnancy with more than 70 attendees over Zoom. Feedback from the presentation​ was extremely positive.

Amazing job, Dr. Beninati!

Beninati discusses COVID vaccines and pregnancy with WISC-TV News 3 Now

To help answer common questions about COVID-19, vaccination and pregnancy, Michael Beninati, MD of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, spoke with WISC-TV News 3 Now.

In the interview, Beninati clarified vaccine advice from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and discussed pregnancy-related data that is available so far:

“He said the CDC is tracking side effects of COVID-19 vaccines through the V Safe app. Of the almost 87,000 pregnant women to register on the app, about 4,500 have logged side effects.

“Based on those data, it doesn’t appear that the vaccine increases the likelihood of miscarriage, or stillbirth, or neonatal death, or pregnancy complications, such as growth restriction or preeclampsia,” Beninati said.”

Watch the interview here!

Beninati to discuss COVID vaccines and women’s health on News 3 Now, Fox 47

Tune in to WISCTV / News 3 Now at 5:30pm or 10pm on Sunday, April 18 to catch Michael Beninati, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, discussing how COVID and COVID vaccines can affect women’s health! Beninati’s segment will also run in the 9pm newscast on Fox 47 News on Sunday.

After it airs, the segment will be available on Channel 3000. You can also watch UW Department of Ob-Gyn social media – like our Facebook page, Instagram account, or Twitter account – for the video. Thanks for discussing this important topic with our community, Dr. Beninati!

Jacobson publishes on severe COVID infection in pregnancy in Case Reports in Women’s Health

A new article by Maternal-Fetal Medicine fellow Jennifer Jacobson, MD outlines treatment of a severe COVID-19 infection in a pregnant patient, offering insight into care for other such patients in the future.

“Use of dexamethasone, remdesivir, convalescent plasma and prone positioning in the treatment of severe COVID-19 infection in pregnancy: A case report” is online now, and will appear in the January 2021 volume of Case Reports in Women’s Health:

“Severe infection with COVID-19 virus in pregnancy offers unique management challenges for the obstetrician and critical care specialist. We report the case of a woman at 26 weeks of gestation with acute respiratory distress syndrome secondary to COVID-19 infection treated with dexamethasone, remdesivir, convalescent plasma and mechanical ventilation. Cesarean delivery was performed at 29 weeks due to worsening maternal status. This case offers insight into the assessment and successful use of treatment strategies, including dexamethasone, remdesivir, convalescent plasma, early prone positioning, conservative fluid management, permissive hypoxia and low tidal volume parameters with ventilator support for pregnancies affected by severe COVID-19 infection.”

UW Ob-Gyn MFM faculty Katie Antony, MD, Michael Beninati, MD, and Kara Hoppe, DO are co-authors on this case report. Read the whole article here. Amazing work, Dr. Jacobson!