When Dr. Jeffrey Dayton talks about fetal cardiology, he doesn’t begin with machines or procedures. He talks about parents. About how they walk into his consultation room with anxiety written on their faces. About how they leave with more understanding than they expected, and sometimes, for the first time in days, a sense of hope.
Dr. Dayton is the medical director for fetal cardiology at Atlantic Health, a role he stepped into after more than a decade at a major academic medical center in New York City. He joined the Hersh Fetal Diagnostic and Treatment Center – the first and only center of its kind in New Jersey – because it offers what most families can’t find anywhere else: every specialist, every test, and every next step together in one coordinated, family-centered environment. He chose to bring that level of subspecialty care to New Jersey so that families no longer had to travel across bridges and through city traffic to find answers. The Hersh Fetal Center has given him a place where those answers can be delivered in one space, by one team, in a way that keeps families at the center of the conversation.
Congenital heart problems are the most common birth defects, occurring in about one percent of all pregnancies. Some require immediate intervention after delivery. Others can be managed over time. For families, the uncertainty can be overwhelming.
Fetal cardiology exists to change that uncertainty into knowledge. Through echocardiograms and advanced imaging, physicians like Dr. Dayton can see a baby’s heart as early as 13 to 14 weeks, nearly two months sooner than was possible a generation ago. Earlier answers mean earlier planning, so families can prepare emotionally, medically, and logistically for what lies ahead. “Even when the diagnosis is complex, we can reassure parents that many children go on to live long, healthy, fulfilling lives,” Dr. Dayton explains.
A fetal cardiology visit is not a quick test followed by a rushed explanation. Appointments often last an hour or more, and much of that time is spent talking. Dr. Dayton describes sitting with families, walking them through what the imaging shows, and repeating details as often as needed. He knows parents retain only a fraction of what they hear in the first meeting. “It’s a very overwhelming experience, so the goal is to create an environment where more information can be absorbed,” he says.
That environment has been intentionally designed at the Hersh Fetal Center. Families have their own consultation room for the day so they can leave their belongings, step out for imaging, and return to the same private space to review results. Instead of moving from one office to another, the subspecialists come to them. The setting itself reinforces the message that this day is about your family, your questions, your baby. This experience reflects what makes the center truly unique in New Jersey.
Behind the scenes, the center's design encourages collaboration. Physicians work in a shared space, reviewing images and discussing cases before entering the consultation room. Families have real-time coordination, experiencing it as a seamless plan rather than fragmented opinions.
Integration into a Larger Team
Cardiology is one piece of a larger picture. What makes the Hersh Fetal Center different, Dr. Dayton emphasizes, is that maternal-fetal medicine specialists, neonatologists, genetic counselors, and surgeons are not spread across separate buildings. They are in the same place, often in the same room, consulting side by side. A question about how a lung condition could affect the heart can be answered on the spot by both a neonatologist and a cardiologist.
Why Timing Matters
For many families, the greatest gift of fetal cardiology is preparation. With earlier diagnoses, delivery planning can be tailored to the baby’s needs. Some infants can safely be born locally with their mother’s obstetrician. Others may need to be delivered in a center prepared for immediate surgical intervention. Accurate prenatal cardiology helps families avoid unnecessary transfers while ensuring safety when higher-level care is required.
This kind of foresight spares parents the shock of unexpected news in the delivery room. It also gives them time to connect with the pediatric cardiologist who will follow their child after birth, creating continuity of care that can last a lifetime.
Supporting Families Beyond the Diagnosis
The Hersh Fetal Center recognizes that hearing their baby has a heart condition is a deeply emotional diagnosis for parents. That is why social work, behavioral health, and even creative arts therapy are woven into the model of care. Parents may meet the therapist during pregnancy and then again in the NICU, adding another familiar face in a journey that often feels unfamiliar at every turn. These touches help families feel less isolated and more supported as they process complex information.
A Resource for Families and Providers
For referring providers, fetal cardiology at the Hersh Fetal Center is an extension of their care, not a replacement. The center’s one-of-a-kind model simplifies referral logistics and enhances collaboration, allowing providers to stay connected to every stage of their patient’s care. Dr. Dayton calls primary obstetricians immediately after consultations to align on next steps. Reports are clear, communication is constant, and patients remain connected to their original providers. That partnership means families know their team is unified, and providers know their patients are receiving advanced care.
Dr. Dayton often describes his work in simple terms; he is a physician, yes, but he is also a parent. When he explains a diagnosis, he imagines how he would want someone to speak to him if it were his own child. That perspective runs through every part of the Hersh Fetal Center’s approach to fetal cardiology.